The ANC will lose support, not influence, says political analyst

His remarks come after DA Federal Council chair Helen Zille said on Saturday that the DA and its coalition partners are "within spitting distance" of dethroning the ANC in Gauteng.

Zille spoke at the party’s Gauteng provincial congress in Boksburg. 

Mashego said while the ANC might lose more support, the governing party's influence won't wane. 

"The ANC is the most influential party right now. The silent ANC majority are beneficiaries of social grants, and those ones don't make their choices. Zille is not really accurate to say they'll unseat the ANC, because they need a partner or partners to do so. 

"If they think the EFF is that partner, they are living in fool's paradise because the EFF is unreliable. If the DA wants Gauteng, the EFF can help them in exchange for the partnership. And I doubt the DA can accept that?" said Mashego.

Meanwhile, political analyst Levy Ndou said the DA is an ambitious political party and will always try and paint a rosy picture of its electoral fortunes. 

"The Gauteng DA conference has been the launching pad for the party's election manifesto. They will always want to convince voters that they are working very hard to ensure that they are going to win Gauteng. 

"It has always been their plan to ensure that they win Gauteng. All the energies that the DA has is supposed to be directed in ensuring that they win Gauteng."

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