The DA has moved to within six percentage points of the ANC in Gauteng, with the governing party’s decline in the country’s economic heartland seemingly continuing despite a concerted effort to win back lost voters, according to the DA’s internal polling.
The poll, which News24 has seen, shows support in Gauteng for the three biggest parties last Monday (April 22) stood at:
– ANC: 44%, down from 48%
– DA: 38%, up from 34%
– EFF: 10%, down from 11%
Nationally the DA is polling in the range between 24% and 26% and the ANC between 56% and 59%.
These numbers, described by one party strategist as “astounding”, have also forced the DA to accelerate its preparations for government. According to senior staffers they have begun their preparations to take over the Gauteng provincial government in earnest, including identifying current senior officials implicated in wrongdoing and corruption who they will act against.
The party has also started preparing some officials to take up senior government positions, including those who will be deployed as heads of department.
These numbers suggest that the ANC has not been able to win back support lost since 2014 and that efforts by the DA to woo disillusioned former ANC supporters are getting more traction than initially thought.
