DA’s Hoosen says Durban voters are ready for change as water crisis dominates campaign

Haniff Hoosen, the DA's eThekwini mayoral candidate, believes Durban residents are yearning for a change in leadership. It has been a year since he launched his campaign in September last year, and he claims the party has engaged with hundreds of communities across the city. Hoosen said the residents' frustration was evident, reflecting the state of the city and their hopes for the DA's prospects.

Many people have grown disheartened with politics due to past disappointments with various political parties. However, Hoosen noted that the majority of people he met felt let down by the ANC, which they had supported for 30 years. They are eager for change and open to considering other parties. Hoosen emphasized the potential support for the DA, which has spurred him and the party to work harder and communicate their message for service delivery.

He also highlighted the DA's concerns about the possibility of an MK Party government in eThekwini, stating that voting for the MK Party would essentially mean supporting the same ANC government. The DA has outlined several key pillars for transforming governance in eThekwini, with water shortages being a central part of their campaign.

The DA claims the current administration has failed, with eThekwini losing around 65% of its water, compared to 48.9% when the term began in 2021. This amounts to approximately 21 billion liters of water lost each month. The DA has named three senior eThekwini Municipality leaders as responsible for the water problems in a billboard, alleging that the city is losing money by hiring water tankers and that valves are closed in certain areas to facilitate water tanker deliveries.