Winde says friction between DA, FF+ in WC just political jostling ahead of local govt polls

CAPE TOWN - While the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus' relationship in municipal councils in the Western Cape appears to be on the skids, Premier Alan Winde is putting it down to political jostling ahead of the next local government elections. 
 
The spat has seen the Freedom Front Plus pulling out of their coalitions in at least two municipal councils - Langeberg and Oudtshoorn.
 
Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club on Tuesday, Winde said ideally, coalition partnerships should be applicable across all levels of government.
 
The Western Cape Premier said that the different governance models in each of the country’s three biggest provinces could give rise to a healthy competition to serve citizens better. 
 
But with Government of National Unity (GNU) talks not having filtered down to power-sharing arrangements in metro councils, instability is inevitable. 
 
"Also we’ve got an election happening in two years’ time at local government level, and there’s a lot of politicking and maneuvering already. The election has started."
 
Winde said that having to balance leading a province with opposition parties who were part of the GNU made for a complicated working dynamic.
 
"It’s a different environment. It’s an environment of hope and opportunity, but it’s also a political environment of opportunity, of risk and of change."
 
The DA is no longer the opposition in national government.

Winde said the onus now falls on him and DA mayors to showcase the party’s brand of governance.