Steenhuisen takes swipe at election polls

A recent poll released by Ipsos predicted that 6 out of 10 voters will cast their vote for the African National Congress (ANC).

 

It predicted that the DA would garner 14% of the vote during the national elections, which are scheduled to take place in May, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 9%. 

 

Steenhuisen says South Africans should stop treating the polls as gospel.

 

“I’ve been in many elections and I can tell you in every single election since 1994 the naysayers, the critics, the talking heads and pollsters have written this party off.”

 

He predicted that the DA would improve on its performance during the previous national elections in 2014, when it received 22% of the vote. 

 

According to Ipsos, the party’s trust index declined further from negative -19 in November 2017 to -28 in November 2018. 

 

This while the African National Congress' (ANC) trust index improved from 11 in November 2017 to 34 in November 2018. 

 

Steenhuisen nevertheless believes the party will emerge stronger.

 

“Because South Africans can see where this train of the ANC is taking us, it is a dead-end station with no future.” 

 

The Institute of Race Relations released it snap poll revealing the DA’s voter support declined by 5 % from 23% in September 2018 to 18% in December of the same year.

 

Steenhuisen was speaking at a community meeting in Oilfantsfontein, where community members gathered to listen to an explanation from the party on its decision not to support land expropriation with compensation.

 

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