Johannesburg - The DA's polling shows that the ANC's support could drop to less than 50 percent in Gauteng, the party's premier candidate Mmusi Maimane said on Monday.
President Jacob Zuma was the main reason for this decline, he said in a statement.
“President Zuma's favourability in Gauteng among people who previously supported the ANC stands at a mere 18 percent Ä half of what it is in the rest of the country.
“The reason, according to our research, is that Gauteng residents believe that Jacob Zuma has changed the ANC.”
The African National Congress under Zuma had given up on creating jobs and had allowed corruption to flourish, he said.
Maimane was presenting a preview to the Democratic Alliance's election manifesto, which will be officially launched in March.
“I have a plan to bring change and hope to this province. It includes a plan to create an environment for job creation and growth and a plan to crack down on the corruption that continues to deny opportunities to our people.”
Maimane said the party would create jobs and expand opportunities for all in Gauteng.
It would do this by expanding support to bridge the study-work divide for the youth through a graduate recruitment programme and a government internship programme. The party would also create jobs through an extended public works programme.
It would make it easier for small businesses to win government contracts by breaking down large tenders into smaller opportunities and by expanding community supplier databases, Maimane said.
The DA in Gauteng would also continue to fight e-tolls by calling a provincial referendum.
He said the DA would cut corruption out of the government.
It would manage public money better by reducing and restructuring the number of government departments in the province and would remove corrupt officials.
The party would also open tender committee meetings to the public to increase transparency.
“In 2014 we can choose the path of change and jobs, or we can choose five more years of the same from Zuma's ANC,” said Maimane.
“As premier, I will make jobs my top priority, stop corruption in government and fight against the unjust taxation of Gauteng residents through e-tolling.”
Sapa