'Love your city, vote DA': Zille slams small parties at Gauteng North congress

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has continued its criticism of small parties, claiming that the splitting of votes does not achieve results.

On Saturday, the party held an elective congress for its Gauteng North region, which primarily includes the area of Tshwane. The Tshwane Council currently has ten parties with two or fewer seats.

Speaking at the congress, the DA’s Federal Council Chairperson, Helen Zille, said voters must understand that only the DA and the African National Congress (ANC) have a realistic chance of being the biggest party in Tshwane.

"We must help our voters understand how high the stakes are. Many of them know them, but some still don’t. If they split the opposition vote across many small parties, they won’t get the change they want; they will just get more of the same. A corrupt clique ruling in its own interest, in an unstable, self-serving coalition."

Zille, who is also the DA’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, says the DA is the only party with the track record and experience to turn around Gauteng’s metros.

“I often say to people, you don’t have to like the DA to vote for us," Zille noted. "You actually don’t; you just have to love your city to vote the DA into power.”