THE venomous tit-for-tat attacks between the ANC and the DA continued yesterday, with the official opposition leader accusing the ruling party of being sellouts and looting the poor.
“Corruption is stealing from the poor. These people who are stealing through corruption are sellouts of the liberation struggle,” DA leader Mmusi Maimane told his party's “We can win rally” at the Johannesburg City Hall.
Maimane’s brazen attack on President Jacob Zuma and “his cronies” comes after Zuma questioned the credibility of black people joining the DA. While this has been one of Zuma's main messages this election, the crowd of people who attended yesterday's rally were mostly black.
All of them appeared unfazed by Zuma’s comments and sang the praises of Maimane and Joburg DA mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba.
The DA leader told the hundreds of listeners that Zuma's comments were very divisive, and that the DA was a party for black, white, Indian and coloured people.
“You're beautiful people,” he said. “The DA means business in this city. We're not in these elections to make up the numbers or strengthen our position as the opposition party. No, we're in them to win.
"We're here in Joburg to serve notice on this ANC government. We are here to say pack up your desks and clear out your offices because this city is about to get a real government,” Maimane said.
Soweto-born Maimane said the ANC government under Nelson Mandela had brought hope to millions of people, but under Zuma “it's getting tougher for more people”.
He said more people were begging on the streets and did not have proper houses.
“When you get your electricity bill, you then ask yourself whether you are running a household or a mine,” Maimane said.
“I love this city. It's my home- town. This is where I grew up. And this is not just any city. This is Joburg. It is the heartbeat of our economy. This place has to work for our country to work. But I am sorry to say that right now it isn't working. It has been failed by the people elected to look after it.”
The Gauteng ANC, particularly provincial chairman Paul Mashatile, also came under attack from Maimane, who accused them of being indecisive in their relationship with Zuma.
“Today we hear Paul Mashatile saying Zuma must fall. The next thing Zuma comes to their meeting and charms and hugs them. They then sing 'We must vote for Zuma'. These people are corruption. You know what sellouts are?
“Where we govern, we pro- mised voters that we would put a stop to corruption once we took over the government of their city or town. Again, not just talk, but backed up with facts,” he said.
He reminded his audience that the Joburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay metros had lost more than R2.2 billion to corruption in the past financial year.
In Cape Town, where the DA governed, that figure was zero, Maimane said.
“Cape Town is considered by the Auditor-General and by independent studies as the best-run metro with the least corruption and waste in the country.
“That's our promise to voters: jobs, services and no corruption. And we can back all of it up with proof that the DA delivers.”
Speaking earlier, Mashaba told his supporters that his priority if he became mayor would be to create jobs, irrespective of political affiliation.
This would be done by professionalising the municipality with the very best people, focusing on small business development, subsidising city-owned property rentals, and sharing big contracts and tenders so that small businesses could participate in the city's economy.