South Africans have had enough of the DA and its leaders’ arrogance: Corné Mulder

Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) leader Corné Mulder said people have reached a saturation point and decided they have had enough of the DA.

Mulder shared his views on the South African political landscape and the recent DA battles in a discussion with Izak du Plessis on Nuuspod.

He referenced the explosive allegations from former DA leader John Steenhuisen and the storm which broke out afterwards.

This caused a backlash on social media, which Mulder said aligned with a steady stream of people currently joining the Freedom Front Plus.

“I never rejoice in another party’s troubles. However, looking at the situation objectively, this is not solely about the mistakes John Steenhuisen made right at the end,” he said.

“This has been building for a long time. People have simply reached a saturation point and decided they have had enough.”

He said that part of the issue is a perception of arrogance coming from the DA leadership, which voters experience as a dismissal of other political roleplayers.

However, the more significant issue for Mulder was Steenhuisen’s stance on conservative Afrikaners who support Afriforum and Solidarity.

Steenhuisen said that people linked to Solidarity, Afriforum, Saai, and Sakeliga don’t share the Democratic Alliance’s values.

“Saai, AfriForum, Sakeliga, and the others have really been running a concerted campaign against me since I became the Minister of Agriculture,” he said.

“My worry is that there is a grouping that wants to bend the knee continuously to appease the AfriForum crew.”

Steenhuisen argued that it was not the right way to grow the Democratic Alliance’s vote, especially when it is looking to gain support among black voters.

“These are not people who share our values. They are nationalists; they are tribalists; they are, in some instances, racists,” he said.

“You don’t win the political argument or take your party forward by appeasing those people. They don’t share your values and principles.”

“My worry is that if we bend the knee to the AfriMAGA crew, you dilute the DA’s principles and play on the same wicket as these guys,” he said.

Mulder said that while he appreciated Steenhuisen’s candid honesty, the decision of where to feel at home ultimately rests with the voters.

“The core identity of the DA stems directly from its lineage, which Steenhuisen made very clear in his interview with Adriaan Basson,” he said.

“The heart of the DA lies in its roots, tracing back from Helen Suzman through the old Progressive Party, and follows a liberal school of thought.”

The Freedom Front Plus leader said that this ideology traditionally emerged from the English-speaking community. “This is a well-known fact. We all know it,” he said.

“My advice is to vote according to the values you are comfortable with, and we will carry those values forward into coalition governance,” Mulder said.