DA to launch its manifesto on Saturday morning

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is launching its manifesto ahead of the November 1 Local Government Elections. The event is scheduled to take place at 11am.

It will be held virtually on the DA’s social media platforms with the keynote address being delivered by DA Leader John Steenhuisen as well as addresses by Mayoral Candidates and the DA’s Head of Policy, Gwen Ngwenya.

The party is expected to re-emphasise its message that the DA delivers the best governance, services and financial management of local government in the country.

Campaigning during a pandemic 

Steenhuisen has defended the DA’s insistence that the elections should go ahead even when the IEC had said it would not be possible because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He says while the pandemic has impacted the traditional way of campaigning, the DA has moved with the times and is using new ways to woo voters.

“We can’t have the mass rallies, this is the new normal in COVID. But it doesn’t mean as political parties you can’t campaign. Saturday is going to show at 11 that you can communicate with voters, find a way to get over a problem. Don’t sit back and say we can’t campaign in this environment, you can campaign. It’s about adapting to this new normal. The irony is that these political parties have expected citizens to adapt to the new normal but they don’t want to adapt to a new normal themselves.”

The video below is a panel discussion on the DA’s readiness for the launch of their Local Government Manifesto: