DA denies its in coalition talks

The Democratic Alliance has dismissed outright reports that it is in coalition talks with other parties at this stage.

DA spokesperson Phumzile Van Damme confirmed however that the party does occasionally meet with other political parties and civil organisations which she said was completely normal in a multi-party democracy.

Former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi confirmed on Sunday that he had been approached by the Democratic Alliance about forming a coalition to wrest power from the ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay.

However‚ he said he had referred the DA to United Front leaders in the metro.

“Yes it's true DA came to me looking for a possibility of a coalition Govt. I referred them to the UF leaders in the NMM‚” Vavi said on Twitter.

The Sunday Times reported on Sunday that DA leader Mmusi Maimane was courting Vavi as the official opposition party intensified its bid to wrest Nelson Mandela Bay metro from the ANC in the coming local government elections.

The newspaper said it could reveal that Maimane and Vavi had met at a Johannesburg hotel on February 1 to discuss forming a coalition government in the highly contested Eastern Cape municipality should the ANC fail to win an outright majority there.

It added that‚ according to some insiders‚ the DA was prepared to offer Vavi the post of deputy mayor if his newly formed United Front won a sizable number of wards and helped to reduce the ANC's majority to under 50% on August 3.

But Van Damme said on Sunday afternoon: “While we meet with other political parties and civil society organisations from time to time‚ which is completely normal in a multi-party democracy‚ we dismiss outright reports that we are in coalition talks at this stage.”

She said on Saturday‚ at the biggest event in the history of the DA‚ the party had launched its election manifesto for the coming local government elections.

“This is a Manifesto for Change: setting out how we will bring about change that will stop corruption‚ create jobs and deliver better services.

“In Nelson Mandela Bay‚ Tshwane‚ Johannesburg‚ Cape Town‚ as well as many other places across South Africa‚ we are in it to win it. Because only a DA government‚ based on the principles of Freedom‚ Fairness and Opportunity for all‚ can help move South Africa forward again‚” she asserted.

She added that the August 3 elections were going to be the most important elections since 1994.

The United Front‚ launched by Vavi and the trade union Numsa this year‚ is a coalition of trade unions and civil society organisations.

Vavi tweeted on Sunday that it was not a political party but “an anti-neo liberal coalition of unions and civil society”.

“2015 polls in NMM shows ANC will win 43%‚ DA 37% & a not launched United Front could get up to 34%. There will be a coalition Govt there‚” he stated in another tweet.