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Yolandé Stander and John Harvey
Western Cape premier and DA leader Helen Zille told a crowd of 400 supporters in Plettenberg Bay on Wednesday night that the party no longer wanted to rely on coalitions as they was hampering the effective implentation of the DA's policies.
Zille was in Plettenberg Bay to rally support ahead of the town's Ward 4 elections on August 7. Should the DA win the ward - which comprises part of Kwanokuthule township and New Horizons - on August 7, it will give the party an outright majority in the Bitou municipality.
"We don't want coalitions anymore, there are too many hiccups. We just need one more seat to govern Bitou completely, and that is what makes this by-election so very important. It is bigger than Ward 4, bigger than Bitou, bigger than the Western Cape. Winning this by-election will show in no certain terms the people want the DA to rule."
In the last election, Kwanokuthule was a hotly contested area in Bitou, with DA councillor Elaine Paulse only losing by 124 votes. The party feels it has the potential to make serious inroads there on August 7.
Zille's comments come as the leadership battle for Cope continues in the South Gauteng High Court, where incumbent president Mosiuoa Lekota is fighting Mbhazima Shilowa from claiming the title of party leader.
Zille asked the audience to "just give us one term", to show that the DA can serve them properly.
"It is very difficult to govern as a coalition - it is up to you to make the decision to give us a chance. The next election is in 2016. If we have messed up by then, vote for someone else, but this is your chance.
Zille rsaid since the DA-led coalition took power in Bitou in 2011, a new school and library had been built in New Horizons while a new school also had been built one in Kwanokuthule.
"That is what we can do in a coalition, imagine what we can do if we have an outright majority."
Bitou mayor Memory Booysen urged it "must" be understood that the DA's coalition with Cope was on dangerous ground as Lekota's leadership battle with Shilowa could see the latter alligning with the ANC.
"If that happens, we will be back to square one, we will be going backwards. We cannot allow that to happen," he said.
Paulse also said coalitions would no longer do, if serious policy implementation was to take place by the DA.
"That must happen now, and you have the chance to do that."
It was inevitable that the the faeces-flinging saga in protests of the rollout of portable flush toilets in the Western Cape would arise, but Zille said: "They can fling faeces at me, I can take it, I am strong,"
She remained adamant that these toilets were a good alternative until the necessary infrastructure is in place for the growing populations in Western Cape informal settlements.
"I am use to way worse. We grew up with a bucket toilet. The first time my husband saw a flush toilet was when he went to university. I don't have a portable flush toilet in my home, but I use them when I go to events. They are hygienic and a good alternative."
Earlier, Zille conducted a walking tour visiting schools and clinics in Kwanokuthule which traditionally has been an ANC stronghold.
However ANC die-hards maintained that Zille would never be the answer, or at the very least, she should work together with the ruling party. "I am ANC for life. I've supported the ANC all my life. All I want the ruling party to do is to create a bright future for my grandchildren," said resident Monica Xhwelesha.
ANC supporter Siphiwe Kwamisi, wearing a party-branded shirt, told Zille that parties "should take hands and work together for the greater good of the community".
