Ready to Govern, Ready to Extend Our Record

The following speech was Delivered in Cape Town today by the Leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen, at the announcement of DA Mayoral Candidates in the Western Cape:

Fellow South Africans, Members of the media, Friends of the Democratic Alliance, and all gathered here today,

Many would be aware of my announcement in Durban, yesterday, that I will not seek a third term as Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance in April. I am stepping aside precisely because I have achieved my goal for the party: to take us into national government and grow our support base.

I reiterate what I said yesterday: I believe I am handing over a party in much better shape than it was handed to me in 2019. I am full of hope and confidence in the direction our country is going, as a result of the great strides the DA has made in recent years, at local and national level.

But our work is not done. And neither is my own work done. I will continue to labour for South Africans in delivering on the promise of a better life, a life with jobs, security, and services, a life of dignity where individuals are empowered through education and their life chances are determined by their abilities and not by their circumstances.

Today is therefore about building on the promise that South Africa can work for all who live in it. We will continue to work to put people at the centre of our politics, and to put the DA at the centre of government to address the things that really matter to the lives of ordinary South Africans.

Nowhere is South Africa’s success more evident than in the Western Cape. It is the province where DA-run municipalities put people at the heart of what we do.

So, in announcing our mayoral candidates for this province, we are renewing a promise. A promise that towns, cities and municipalities in the Western Cape will continue to work for all who live here, and that we stand ready to extend the DA difference, a proven record of good governance across the province, and indeed the Country.

For nearly two decades, the DA has governed the province of the Western Cape, and a growing number of municipalities across South Africa with one simple philosophy. Get the basics right, and put people first. That is why the Western Cape, and all DA run municipalities stand apart from the rest of South Africa.

Since taking over provincial government in 2009, more than 500,000 jobs have been created. Over R50 billion in investment has flowed into the Western Cape. And we continue to have the lowest unemployment rate in South Africa.

This is not by accident, but by design. Where the DA governs, opportunity follows.

There is no denying that crime is a major issue in South Africa. The DA is serious about safety. Crime destroys lives and robs communities of hope. That is why the DA-led Western Cape has taken a hard-headed, compassionate approach, tackling both crime itself and the social conditions that drive it. We need both tough government action and resilient communities to deal with this scourge.

Through the LEAP programme, more than 1,200 officers have been deployed, contributing to a 5.5% reduction in murders in targeted areas. In Cape Town, over 750 metro police officers are being rolled out so that every ward has visible policing. Our K9 rural safety units protect farms, farm workers, and rural communities alike. There is still a lot more to be done. We continue to push hard for the devolution of specific policing powers to the provincial level, including investigation and ballistic testing. In addition, at a national level, prosecution needs to ensure that criminals actually see their day in court.

This is what responsible government looks like. Practical solutions resulting in real impact.

DA run municipalities continue to achieve the best audit outcomes from the Auditor General. This means your money is used to deliver for you. Not to enrich politicians or their friends, but on the residents we serve.

The upcoming elections are local government elections. At this level, it’s about getting the basics right. This is what the DA has excelled at.

Electricity in your homes.
Water in your taps.
Refuse collected on time.
Roads maintained.
Communities respected.

Sadly, many South Africans today live in municipalities that have all but collapsed.

As I travel across the country, I am angered by the condition of total decay. Sewerage running through the streets. Derelict buildings, symbolic of a crumbling local economy. Municipal infrastructure left to ruin. Taxpayers’ money down the drain, stolen, or rusting in a state of total neglect.

Decay is not inevitable. Mismanagement is. As I have said before. These are man-made problems, and this is good news, because that means it can be fixed.

But we are not spectators in this drama. We are participants, each and every one of us with the power of change.

But, you will have to vote for it. Residents of South Africa have a significant power, which comes with a significant responsibility. You have the power to decide whether you live in a municipality run by a party with a proven track record in good governance, that puts your interest first, or, whether you live in a municipality where rhetoric is used to create an illusion of promise, promises that guarantee only more decay.

And if you live in a DA-run municipality, do not take it for granted. You are living in one of the rare pockets of good governance, locally, in South Africa. And to keep it that way, every vote matters. There are opportunists around every corner, looking to use flashy promises, and popular rhetoric to persuade. We must be wise to their ways, and we must act responsibly with our votes.

We cannot afford to lose any ground. We need strong DA municipalities, governed by a DA that holds a majority, or at the very least, is the largest party in any coalition government.

Why? Because messy, complex coalitions seldom deliver. Clear, decisive mandates do.

We want governments that can implement DA policy fully, not compromise the future of communities to satisfy coalition partners.

Imagine the power of alignment. A DA town, in a DA province, supported by DA national ministers delivering through the Government of National Unity. That is how we unlock faster delivery and better outcomes for the Western Cape.

Even President Ramaphosa has acknowledged the success of DA-run cities and this province. The evidence is there for all to see.

Our model of government is simple but powerful. We deliver for all. We care. We respect culture and heritage. We have zero tolerance for corruption and we lead with integrity.

Our leadership reflects the diversity of South Africa. Leaders who come from the same communities you come from, who understand your hopes and your concerns.

The DA continues to grow from strength to strength. In recent by-elections, the DA has taken two wards from the ANC in this province, proof that more and more voters want capable, honest government.

And let me be clear. In the Western Cape, there are only two parties big enough to govern towns. The ANC and its proxies, or the Democratic Alliance. But, there is only one party that has proven it can actually do it, and that is the Democratic Alliance. There is no room for protest votes or false promises in this election.

This election is a choice:
Between decay and delivery.
Between rhetoric and results.
Between corruption and clean government.

Today, as we announce these eight mayoral candidates, we do so with confidence. Confidence rooted in experience, competence, and care. This is the party which puts people at the centre in transforming promises into reality.

The DA is ready.
Ready to govern.
Ready to extend our record.

I love my country and I love the DA. And together, united, I believe we can keep building a Western Cape, and a South Africa that works for all.

Thank you.