The Democratic Alliance (DA) leadership contender, Mpho Phalatse, says the party has a chance to bring the African National Congress (ANC) share of the vote to below 50% in the next election.
She is running for the party’s Federal leadership position against current party leader John Steenhuisen at the Elective Congress at the Midrand Conference Centre in Johannesburg.
Over the next two days, about 2 000 delegates from different branches across the country will debate party policies and elect the organisation’s leadership.
Speaking to SABC News ahead of the official opening of the elective congress, Phalatse acknowledged that coalition governments were difficult to manage.
“Different political parties don’t view those coalition agreements in the same way. Some of them think it’s an easy opt-in opt-out agreement. Others view it a lot more seriously. We also saw the rise of checkbook politics, where there were indications or suspicions that people were being bribed to move one way or other because some of these will literally hang on by one seat.”
Halala DA halala!
Delegates are excited to be in Johannesburg for the #DAcongress2023.
Only a Strong DA can build a better future for South Africa! pic.twitter.com/5aZqhWWY6c
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) April 1, 2023
