DA is ANC’s enemy not ally - Lesufi

He insists the DA remains an enemy of the ANCA that works to “protect white privilege”.

Lesufi made the remarks on Saturday during the opening of the ANC Gauteng Provincial Task Team lekgotla in Fourways. 

The two-day gathering follows the recent ANC National Executive Committee lekgotla, as well as the State of the Nation and State of the Province addresses. 

The goal is to shape a provincial programme of action aligned with the PTT mandate given by the NEC.

“To work with the DA at national government of coalition does not make the DA an alliance of the ANC, it still remains the enemy of our people that wants to defend white privilege and white rights,” said Lesufi.

The ANC and DA, the two largest parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU), have publicly disagreed on several key issues, including land expropriation, foreign policy, and the now-suspended fiscal framework.

Lesufi also pointed to the ANC's return to power in nine out of the eleven municipalities it lost in the 2016 local government elections. 

He said these municipalities collapsed under DA leadership, and the ANC should not take their return for granted. 

According to Lesufi, instead of accepting their position in opposition, the DA continues to destabilize governance by pushing motions of no confidence against ANC mayors.

He challenged the widespread belief that the DA runs effective municipalities, calling it a myth based on race.

“This myth that where the DA governs, it governs well is wrong, but we know why they perpetuate that. It’s because they have a different colour of the skin, and the colour of their skin speaks for them. And those that criticise us, they enjoy criticising us and they dislike criticising the DA,” he said.

Lesufi said the ANC is focused on strengthening its internal structures and rebuilding support in Gauteng. 

He argued that recent election results show the ANC's base did not shift to the DA, but to breakaway factions, including parties led by former ANC leaders.

“Our people did not vote for the Democratic Alliance, our people have voted for political parties that were part of us at one stage or another, and another political party that was led by our former president. So we are still within the right cause, our approach is to consolidate and clarify that there is no party that will deliver economic emancipation except for the ANC.”

Following the ANC's decline to 40.18% in the 2024 national election and the loss of its parliamentary majority, Lesufi vowed that the party is regrouping with a renewed focus on internal discipline and governance.

“Ours is to have our house in order, ours is to ensure that we have proper structures, nothing else. And ours is to deal ruthlessly with those that are taking advantage of our government, especially officials of government who are now starting to ignore the directives of the ANC – who think in their own right, they can influence ANC through factions.”

Lesufi also emphasized that no ANC region would be allowed to hold its regional conference unless the provincial leadership is confident in its readiness. 

He said the ANC would not allow conferences to become platforms for internal divisions or attempts to destabilise the government.

“We are going to consolidate our approaches, political education first and conferences later. And it must not be political education for compliance sake, where people think they can render a five-module course in two days, our approach is that we are strengthening everything that remains organisational first, and when we are convinced we will be in a position to deal with the issues that we need to attend to.”

The ANC Greater Johannesburg regional conference is set to take place in June. 

ALSO READ