DA continues to de-campaign smaller parties

In a statement, DA party chief whip Imran Keeka said “small ‘popcorn’ or ‘pop-up’ political parties are unable to properly function within the environment of the provincial Legislature.”

In a statement, DA party chief whip Imran Keeka said “small ‘popcorn’ or ‘pop-up’ political parties are unable to properly function within the environment of the provincial Legislature.”

Published May 14, 2024

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As the hotly contested national and provincial government elections draw closer, the DA continues to de-campaign smaller parties, calling on the voters to keep away from them.

The country will vote on the May 29.

The party said the smaller parties, which it referred to as “popcorn parties”, will struggle to function in national and provincial government.

“Small ‘popcorn’ or ‘pop-up’ political parties are unable to properly function within the environment of the provincial legislature,” said the party’s chief whip, Dr Imran Keeka, in a statement.

“A look at the performance of these parties during the last five years exposes their inability to perform properly by attending all committee meetings and contributing meaningfully towards all law-making processes. Voting for them is to toy with your vote.”

Keeka said without even looking at portfolio committee and legislature sitting attendance registers, the contributions of such parties are obvious.

“If they cannot or do not attend to basic requirements as members of the legislature, they certainly cannot and do not represent voters, who should – at the very least – have access to records to see who raises their concerns where and when it matters.”

Keeka said it was only the DA that had been able to hold the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal to account. “The choice has never been simpler. Only a DA-led government has shown that accountability is a priority in any legislature.”

The Mercury