Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane was in Nelson Mandela Bay on Tuesday, campaigning across the city and promising that the party would again win back the metro.
He took the party's Kasi-to-Kasi campaign to Motherwell and New Brighton before stopping in a party stronghold in ward 37 in Bethelsdorp, before addressing a packed community meeting in Uitenhage.
Last year, the DA-led coalition lost control of Nelson Mandela Bay after one of its own councillors turned on the party during a motion of no confidence during a council meeting.
"People have seen when the DA was moved out of power by a coalition of corruption how things have started to go backwards,” he said.
Maimane lambasted ANC provincial chairperson Oscar Mabuyane, saying that he had become synonymous with lies. The DA leader was responding to a question on the ANC's assertions that the DA took away local programmes in the metro meant for the poor.
"We spent 85 percent of our budget on the poor. When we came in, this city was running at a deficit. We started to spend on municipal infrastructure grant, giving to the poor," Maimane said.
He added that the ANC had had 25 years to govern and the time had come for new party to take South Africa in a direction of prosperity.
"Coalitions work, coalitions are the future of this country. The converse is that you have a one party dominant state that governs with arrogance,” Maimane said.
The DA leader also conducted door-to-door visits and stopped at the house of resident Mary Lawack for a comfort break.
She was not completely convinced by the promises made by political parties in general.
"We will just have to see because we are struggling with work in extension 31 to 35. The big problem here is gangsterism. Our children is in gangsterism because they don't have work. The work is the biggest problem," Lawack said.
- African News Agency (ANA)
