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

From accusations of failing black communities in Cape Town to a fiery row over security guards and workers’ rights, the DA and EFF clashed over who should take responsibility for eThekwini’s problems as the local government elections approach.

DA representative Alicia Kissoon pushed back against the suggestion that her party should be held responsible for the city’s current state, stating:

Being in opposition is something that you are to hold accountable. That’s what we’ve been doing consistently. Holding the coalitions accountable for the decisions they make, putting up our hands and saying this is wrong.

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 the Western Cape continued to face poor living conditions.

Why are you coming here to tell us that you are going to be a messiah of sorts when you take over eThekwini?

Mkhaliphi asked. Her remarks challenged the DA to explain why voters in eThekwini should trust it to deliver better services when, according to her, residents in Cape Town continued to face poor living conditions. Mkhaliphi also questioned whether the DA was selective about the communities it prioritised, suggesting that its promises to eThekwini residents were politically motivated.

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 the area.

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.