The Democratic Alliance (DA) has developed a toxic stance loaded with delusion and arrogance, convinced that their governance in the Western Cape positions them as the obvious choice for those tired of other political options. They fancy themselves as the beacon of rationality, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, the Western Cape may have outshone other provinces, but let us be clear: these so-called successes only benefit a privileged few. They conveniently sidestep the grim realities that the vast majority continue to endure, leaving them in the shadows of this so-called progress.
By Themba Khumalo
The DA struts around with an absurdly inflated ego, convinced that their rule in the Western Cape somehow elevates them to the pinnacle of political excellence.
How they see themselves as the nation’s authentic representatives and unshakeable voice is downright absurd. It is a comical spectacle of arrogance that is both infuriating and laughable.
The party’s recent tirade reveals just how utterly clueless they are about the realities of global politics. Their inflated sense of superiority prevents them from noticing that they are completely out of sync with how the adult world operates.
Led by the ever-dramatic John Steenhuisen, the DA erupted in a fit of misplaced rage when President Cyril Ramaphosa described Russia as a “valued ally, a valued friend ” in his engagement with Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit. This melodramatic outcry underscores their complete failure to understand the intricacies of international relations, as they resort to a simplistic and hasty backlash instead of engaging in thoughtful discourse.
In its typical arrogant fashion, the DA declared that, as a “key partner” in the Government of National Unity, it “rejected this (Ramaphosa’s) characterisation in no uncertain terms”.
It went so far as to assert that it “does not consider Russia, or Vladimir Putin, to be an ally of our nation,”. It is dangerously foolish for the DA to think that its narrow-minded perspective on global affairs should be the accepted viewpoint for all South Africans.
It is important to remind the politically naive and shockingly uninformed Steenhuisen that a considerable number of people in this country continue to regard Russia as a trusted ally. This is not some fleeting sentiment; it is a perspective shaped by history, particularly from the times when Russia lent us support in our struggle against apartheid, and it still resonates in today’s context.
With his trademark arrogance, Steenhuisen insisted that any positions expressed on behalf of the GNU should be subjected to a torturous cycle of discussions before they are shared with the world. He is under the delusion that this will foster “maximum consensus and agreement” among partners, which, let us be honest, really means the DA.
In a further display of witlessness, Steenhuisen argued that as South Africa finally catches a whiff of a fictitious economic revival, the president must keep his mouth shut to protect our delicate international relations and trade pacts— the West being the crown jewel. Clearly, these precious connections are the only thing, in his mind, that will deliver a thriving economy where jobs are handed out like candy.
The DA is free to cling to its cringe-worthy foreign policy, but they have no right to force that drivel onto the president while masquerading it as part of the GNU. Their pompous attitude reeks of a blatant attempt to micromanage President Ramaphosa, and that is a boundary that should never, ever be crossed.
No matter how much the president values the GNU, he must not allow the DA’s dim-witted right-wingers or any other party with a serious deficit of brainpower to interfere with his foreign policy.
The DA prances about in the GNU with a smug, bully mentality that reeks of entitlement and does nothing to charm anyone—except for fellow right-wingers who thrive on their twisted sense of superiority.
Steenhuisen, the so-called leader, and Helen Zille, the real power behind the throne, have been flaunting their nauseating arrogance since the formation of the GNU. It is downright revolting.
The DA’s inept and ham-fisted handling of racial dynamics, paired with their appalling disregard for the genocide in Gaza, is enough to warrant a stern request for them to zip it. Their arrogance in telling the president who he should or shouldn’t speak to is as misplaced as a fish trying to climb a tree.