Steenhuisen warns voters against ‘wasting votes’ on smaller parties
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has cautioned Johannesburg residents not to “waste” their votes on smaller or new political parties in the upcoming 2026 local government elections.
Speaking in Soweto during the DA’s announcement of Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Steenhuisen emphasized that fragmented voting could perpetuate the city’s current instability.
Steenhuisen argued that smaller parties often become entangled in unstable coalitions, enabling the African National Congress (ANC) to maintain power through fragmented opposition.
He criticized parties like ActionSA for entering coalitions that ultimately support the ANC, likening such decisions to “turning your vote around and giving it to the very same people that you voted against.”
He warned that such dynamics have resulted in a “revolving door at the mayor’s office,” with Johannesburg experiencing frequent changes in leadership due to coalition instability.
The DA’s nomination of Helen Zille, aims to project stability and competence, with Zille pledging to address essential service issues in Johannesburg, such as water, electricity, road repairs, and waste removal. Steenhuisen framed the election as a choice between “decay and renewal,” emphasizing the DA’s track record of effective governance where it holds power.