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Ahead of its manifesto release, official opposition hopes to gain from president’s loss of popularity, credibility in the wake of Bosasa scandal
The DA is banking on the decline of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s popularity to help it regain lost ground ahead of this year’s general election.
The party’s internal polls are indicating that Ramaphosa’s widespread appeal has suffered a blow over the past few months, possibly over revelations at the Zondo Commission as well as the ongoing Bosasa saga.
City Press has reliably learnt that the DA’s internal polls have shown that Ramaphosa’s “favourability” has taken a 10% knock since the beginning of this year.
The official opposition are relying on a further loss of favour in the coming months as the work of the commission of inquiry into state capture continues.
Thus far the commission has been bruising for the image of the governing party, with senior leaders tainted by a series of allegations of corruption.
A DA insider said that initially Ramaphosa had been seen by voters as separate from the ANC, and voters and potential voters were willing to give him a chance, despite problems in the party he leads.
This has since changed with the president himself and his son, Andile, being dragged into the Bosasa saga which will continue to be an albatross around the neck of senior ANC leaders.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane announced last week that Ramaphosa had turned down his Promotion of Access to Information Act request to see a contract between Bosasa, now known as African Global Operations, and Andile Ramaphosa.
The president’s election a year ago had sent the DA into a tailspin, with so-called Ramaphoria eating away at the official opposition’s share of the vote.
Dogged by a series of in-house scandals involving major figures in the party, the DA has seen a minor recovery since the start of the year.
The internal polls currently place the DA at 24%, a mere 2% increase from what the party garnered during the 2014 general election.
The current figure may also be just enough to quell plans to oust Maimane as party leader shortly after the elections over what some in the party believe to be his failure to grow the DA.
Insiders have told City Press that there are hopes that once the election campaign gets into full swing, the current figure would see an increase.
This week the party will join the EFF and ANC, both of which have already launched their manifestos, in revealing their offering to voters this year.
The party has set its sights on adding two more provinces to its treasure chest, namely the Northern Cape and Gauteng.
It also hopes to retain the Western Cape despite the emergence of the breakaway party Good, led by former Cape Town mayor and DA member Patricia de Lille.
The DA, which invests heavily in data research, has begun daily polls in the run-up to May 8.
In addition to the 24% predicted for the party, the polls indicate that the ANC will stay on top with a reduced majority of 54%, down from 62% in 2014, while the EFF is set to double its share of the vote and walk away with 12%, after obtaining 6% during its first election in 2014.
De Lille’s party, according to the DA’s in-house statistics, is set to enter the arena with just 1% nationally as well as in her stronghold, the Western Cape.
The former mayor has also announced that she will be standing as her party’s premier candidate for her home province.
Earlier this year, research company Ipsos placed the DA at 14%, the ANC at 61% and the EFF at 9%.
The DA declined to comment on the internal polls, saying it was focused on the launch of its manifesto this week.
“The DA does not discuss its internal polling data. We believe that the only poll that matters is the one that takes place on election day. Our focus now is the launch of our manifesto on February 23, which will detail our agenda for change and how we will build one South Africa for all,” said executive director of communications Siviwe Gwarube.
“We will be taking this message to every corner of the country and we are confident that we will continue to grow our support levels in May, retain the Western Cape and bring the ANC below 50% in Gauteng and the Northern Cape. Our campaign will focus extensively on fighting corruption, speeding up the provision of basic services, bringing about an honest and professional police service to fight crime, securing our borders and ensuring fair access to jobs.”
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