‘If Maimane made that statement he would have been fired’: SA weighs in on Steenhuisen’s 'coalition' with ANC
One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane’s clap backs to DA leader John Steenhuisen’s comments around the future of the opposition party have garnered mixed reactions online.
On Sunday, Maimane came out guns blazing, slamming Steenhuisen after he said the DA was considering a possible coalition with the ANC after the 2024 elections.
Steenhuisen told Sunday Times the DA was keen to work with a “reformist” in the ANC, such as President Cyril Ramaphosa, “to lift SA out of the doldrums”.
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Steenhuisen said the DA was anticipating an eventual split in the governing party which would allow those who share the same values as the official opposition to come together.
He also blamed the DA’s weak campaign in the 2019 national and provincial elections on former leader Maimane, saying that was the reason the party lost support.
Maimane took to Twitter to hit back at the comments.
Let’s start with a core issue South Africa must accept. There is no good ANC and no bad ANC.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
We have seen corruption from both factions and we have seen 27 years of mismanagement and misappropriation of state resources.
I said this before and I will say it again. It’s the ANC pic.twitter.com/qL2ZYYHUyy
To grow as a political party you must be honest with the people about the history of this country.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
Privilege exists. We have to diversify the benches of parliament. We have to work on land equity and justice.
We have to see people, their pain and we can’t be color blind. pic.twitter.com/xS9NfkjY4V
As a leader I can’t go to a university student and say there is no white privilege, race is not a factor in South Africa.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
I would be lying to them and they would call me out on my BS.
I would be naive to think that voters were not looking at how diverse the DA in parliament.
I believe in unity, I believe that we are a great nation that can work together to be an example to the world.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
I realize that vision requires hard work. It requires finishing discussions that were left suspended after the truth and reconciliation commission.
It takes work.
John and Helen do not care about fixing the problems of this nation.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
They care about the Western Cape and maintaining power there.
They have given up on the national project and are now going back to the historic voters of the party and abandoning the rest.
It’s obvious.
I have some ideas that I believe will transform our democracy for the better.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
Number 1 #DirectElections we need to make that a priority to give back power to the people.
The political party has become an institution for hubris and elitism. We need independent candidates.
Number 3 - we must get our economy going again. Right now we have a stagnant economy that is managed not for growth but to maintain the status quo.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
That cannot continue.
Here are 20 garlic free ideas on how to fix our economy in reasonable time. https://t.co/NCFD3gTCAU
For more information you can also visit our website https://t.co/Wjs26c8L9S where you can read up more on the vision and how things are going.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 28, 2021
I have moved on from failing political parties that do not want to be honest with the people.
I always say I have upgraded to #OneSA pic.twitter.com/pFV5Zo1Agf
Maimane’s statement drew mixed reactions from many, including EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu.
Shivambu said a possible coalition between the DA and Ramaphosa came as no surprise.
“Ramaphosa and the DA’s semi-literate puppets have the same handlers and will drive a neoliberal narrative to separate the white-controlled Ramaphosa from the former liberation movement. He’s a willing participant and will leave with them when (not if) defeated,” said Shivambu.
Here are some of the reactions.
If any black DA leader had made similar statements as Steenhuisen, they'd be facing disciplinary hearing by now. DA led by Maimane once took Patricia De Lille to task for attending Winnie Mandela memorial in Brandfort without informing the party.
— Bra Hloni (@HonourableHloni) February 28, 2021
Steenhuisen & Zille orchestrated the exit of Mmusi Maimane for losing 1.5% of their vote but then lost 3 metros and many by-elections with impunity.
— Simon Grindrod (@SimonPGrindrod) February 28, 2021
Maimane was shafted for acknowledging inequalities of the past but now the DA want to work with Ramaphosa.
Double standards.
🇿🇦
Ramaphosa, Maimane, Mashaba and Steenhuisen are leading the same party. The rivalry is just entertainment for the undiscerning
— Pule (@Pule_EM) February 28, 2021
It is tragic for our democracy that the official opposition elected to become the third faction of the ANC. https://t.co/uUSs61tqLA
— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) February 28, 2021
Personally I would give Mmusi Maimane a chance as an individual candidate. That guy he is one of the few genuine politicians in our country right now, others are either into party politics or factional wars, the interests of the country comes second.
— SITHALE✍🏿 (@SithaleKgaogelo) February 28, 2021
~me
The more I see Mmusi Maimane’s tweets, the more I’m convinced that it was best that he left the DA. I don’t know why he’s not joining the ANC - his ideology is same as ANC’s. Why not just join the ANC?
— Phumlani M. Majozi (@PhumlaniMMajozi) February 28, 2021
Mmusi Maimane is gradually winning my heart. The man has a vision for this country. I think this time around it's clear who i am gonna cast my vote for.
— Jarden🇿🇦 (@JardenSk) February 28, 2021
I won't throw away my membership for the other party. As long as they don't reconsider their open border nonsense i am with MM
So is Moruti Mmusi Maimane telling us that he was fighting for black people in the DA?
— African Renaissance🦅🇿🇦🦁 (@MadiBoity) February 28, 2021
If Mmusi Maimane had made an statement like that as DA leader he would have been fired. 🇿🇦
— Simon Grindrod (@SimonPGrindrod) February 28, 2021
Maimane has spoken out....I would like to hear what Lindiwe has to say.
— Phumudzo Gideon Mudzunga (@gp_mudzunga) February 28, 2021
Her utterances could be just what we need to hear
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