‘Are you the messiah?’ EFF’s Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi puts DA on the spot over eThekwini promises

The gloves came off as the DA and EFF went head-to-head over eThekwini’s failures, missed opportunities and the question of who should take responsibility for a city battling a growing list of challenges.

DA representative Alicia Kissoon pushed back against the suggestion that the party was not doing enough, stating: “We have been doing consistently. Holding the coalitions accountable for the decisions they make, putting up our hands and saying this is wrong.”

Are you just doing this to get votes?

Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi took aim at the DA, questioning its record in Cape Town while challenging the party’s promises to fix eThekwini. Mkhaliphi confronted Kissoon over what she described as failures to improve the lives of residents in Cape Town, arguing that the party could not present itself as a saviour for Durban while communities in Cape Town were still struggling.

Why are you coming here to tell us that you are going to be a messiah of sorts when you take over eThekwini? Or are you saying this just to get votes?

Kissoon also pushed back against Mkhaliphi’s criticism of the DA’s record in Cape Town, arguing that the debate should focus on eThekwini and the EFF’s own responsibilities within the municipality. She questioned the EFF’s handling of the Informal Settlements Portfolio, pointing to the number of informal settlements in eThekwini and challenging the party to account for its role in municipal decision-making.

Mkhaliphi hit back at the DA’s criticism of its record on budget accountability, accusing the party of opposing the insourcing of workers during the previous council.