Steenhuisen was delivering his acceptance speech at the DA’s Federal Congress on Sunday where he was elected party leader.
“I wanna take the DA to greater heights and fight for our country. The task ahead of us will not be an easy one. Our country is in trouble and the stakes have never been higher.”
Steenhuisen says although South Africa is not a nation of thieves – it is exposed to thievery and decline on a daily basis.
“The people of South Africa thought that democracy would put them in charge. That the people would government. All power to the people was the rallying cry. Instead people feel further and further away from where power lies. Over the quarter of a century – you and fellow citizens have been robbed of our destiny. Our dreams have been hostage by bureaucrats.”
He says excessive state control and corruption are driving the South African economy down the drain.
“People don’t have electricity in their homes because government insists on state monopoly in electricity generation. People are poor because government crushes entrepreneurship, growth and job creation. Excessive state control is the reason why people can no longer take the train to work and government takes the little bit of tax money that’s left to fund an airline that we do not need.”
Steenhuisen has accused government of trying to own people by targeting their homes, savings, health and independence.
He has promised to give “people power not state power.”
He says in addition to the dozens of municipalities where the party delivers services, more could have DA-led councils after the 2021 local elections.
“We are also ready to unleash all of our firepower in the fight to get outright majorities in cities like Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay,” says Steenhuisen.
He also urged citizens to register for the local elections and vote for the DA in their municipalities.
Steenhuisen extended a tribute to Mbali Ntuli, who was also contesting for the party leader position.
“I would also like to extend my gratitude to my colleague in this leadership race. Mbali, you did not make this an easy race. You fought me every step of the way, and you never gave up. In doing so, you helped entrench a proud democratic tradition in our party: that we don’t anoint leaders here; we elect them,” says Steenhuisen.
Ntuli has congratulated Steenhuisen and says she is ready to work with him to take the party forward.
Steenhuisen promises to take power from the state back to the people:
New Tshwane mayor
Steenhuisen also highlighted the DA’s victory in the City of Tshwane.
“Terrified by the prospect of losing control, the Gauteng provincial government used every dirty trick at their disposal to prevent the DA from delivering for the people of Tshwane,” says Steenhuisen.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed the Gauteng government’s appeal to suspend the implementation of the judgment which overturned its decision to dissolve the Tshwane Metro and place it under administration.
The High Court ruled in favour of the DA after it argued that the provincial government’s decision to dissolve the metro council was unlawful and should be set aside.
On Friday, the DA’s Randall Williams was elected as the new Tshwane Mayor.
“It is only because we diligently fought the unconstitutional power grab in the courts for almost a year that we are now again able to bring change to the residents of Tshwane,” says Steenhuisen.
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