With local government elections on the horizon, DA chief whip George Michalakis has argued that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address (Sona) may turn out like the “dry water taps in Johannesburg” if the economy does not significantly grow.
Michalakis also pointed his guns at Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, who did not attend this year’s Sona debate as he usually does, for his “hotel bath” comments amid the Gauteng water crisis.
Michalakis was speaking late on Tuesday night in the National Assembly as MPs concluded day one of the Sona debate.
“This marks the year of a municipal election, where water will be a central theme. It is funny that the president told the one minister who lives to dress up for Sona that she should rather be in Gauteng to sort out the water.
May [Lesufi] be rewarded with a golden shower at the ballot box for such a stupid comment because it is clearly only at the ballot box where solutions can be found.
— DA chief whip George Michalakis
“Despite this, for the premier there to paraphrase the Hon [Mark John] Burke, the Pemmy [Majodina] must still drop ― for him, the solution to the water crisis is to shower at a hotel.
“May he be rewarded with a golden shower at the ballot box for such a stupid comment because it is clearly only at the ballot box where solutions can be found. The premier should not apologise for not being here. He should apologise for his blatant arrogance towards the people of Gauteng.”
Election fever was in the air. Partners in the GNU, including the DA, fell over themselves boasting that the country was turning the corner since they took over in July 2024.
Michalakis kicked off his speech listing some of the “successes” of DA ministers such as his leader John Steenhuisen, Siviwe Gwarube, Dean Macpherson, Solly Malatsi and Leon Schreiber.
But ANC speakers such as Khusela Sangoni and higher education ministers were quick to call out the DA “claiming easy victories”, insisting the DA was taking credit for initiatives that were introduced by the ANC-led sixth administration before the June 2024 elections.
They said those included reducing the cost of communication, ramping up Wi-Fi rollout and the digitising systems in the home affairs department.
“I can see Hon Steenhuisen, you are cruising very nicely. You may claim the easy victories which Hon [Mzamo Billy] came here to reject,” said higher education minister Buti Manamela in reference to one of the DA MPs who had spoken moments earlier.
Manamela continued: “But we will allow that as long as you do not season or pepper them with lies, because for us the GNU is not about ministers competing about submitting to the collective responsibility of government.
Seeing as though the MKP and EFF are so keen on acknowledging the convicts in the gallery, may I send my regards! Maybe we should ask them to stand again, so that the police can see them clearly. At least the minister of sports, arts and culture [Gayton McKenzie] served his time.
“This is your government too. And unlike the Freedom Front Plus and some from your benches, Steenhuisen, you keep one foot in the GNU and another ready to skip when things get difficult. You are within your rights to claim its victories.
“This is the nature of politics in SA, it’s fluid, it’s dramatic ... But what must not be confusing, however, is the difference between noise and work, between performance and governance, between slogans and solution and between sophistry and action.”
Earlier there was drama in the National Assembly, sitting from the Nieuwemeester Dome, when EFF and MK Party legislators demanded that presiding officers recognise the presence of former president Jacob Zuma and his deputy Tony Yengeni.
NCOP chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane had earlier tried to resist points of order from EFF MPs but did so moments later after taking advice from parliamentary officials.
Michalakis slammed the EFF and the MK Party for this move.
“Seeing as though the MKP and EFF are so keen on acknowledging the convicts in the gallery, may I send my regards! Maybe we should ask them to stand again, so that the police can see them clearly. At least the minister of sports, arts and culture served his time,” he said in reference to sports minister Gayton McKenzie.
“Mr Malema has suddenly become very passionate about water provision. How are the communities affected by the Giyani Water Project doing? Are their taps still dry? Did you not benefit from the looting of that project?”
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