Ramaphosa's Own Goal: How the ANC President Boosted the DA's Chances in Joburg

By Mpho Dube, The Editor in Chief of The Azanian

In a shocking turn of events, President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent remarks praising the Democratic Alliance's (DA) governance model in municipalities have handed the opposition party a significant boost in their bid to win the City of Johannesburg.

By inadvertently endorsing the DA's leadership, Ramaphosa has scored an own goal that could potentially cost the African National Congress (ANC) the mayoral seat in the country's largest city.

Ramaphosa's comments, made in reference to the Auditor-General's reports highlighting clean audits in DA-run municipalities, were intended to showcase the ANC's commitment to good governance.

However, the DA was quick to capitalize on the president's words, interpreting them as an endorsement of their governance model. Helen Zille, the DA's mayoral candidate, wasted no time in leveraging Ramaphosa's remarks to bolster her party's campaign.

The ANC's inability to effectively govern Johannesburg has been laid bare for all to see. The city's infrastructure is crumbling, services are collapsing, and corruption is rampant. Ramaphosa's praise for the DA's governance model serves as a damning indictment of the ANC's leadership failures in Joburg. By acknowledging the DA's strengths, Ramaphosa inadvertently highlighted the ANC's weaknesses.

The upcoming local government elections will be a crucial test for the ANC's leadership in Joburg. With the DA's momentum building, it's clear that the opposition party is poised to make significant gains. The question on everyone's mind is: will the ANC's leadership failures cost them the mayoral seat in Joburg? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – Ramaphosa's own goal has given the DA a powerful ammunition to challenge the ANC's dominance in the city.

In the world of politics, one misstep can have far-reaching consequences. Ramaphosa's remarks may have been intended to promote good governance, but they have ultimately handed the DA a significant advantage. As the ANC struggles to regain the trust of Joburg's residents, it's clear that the party's leadership failures have come back to haunt them. The DA's momentum is building, and it's up to the ANC to regroup and reclaim the narrative in Joburg.

Mpho Dube is The Editor in Chief, Founder and Publisher of The Azanian online national and international publication. He also won three national awards for The Caxton/The Citizen. He was also endorsed to serve at the Pan African Parliament (PAP).