FF+ Accuses DA of Plotting Johannesburg’s Collapse Before Returning as “Saviour”
- Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder made serious allegations against the DA at the 2026 BizNews Conference in the Drakensberg
- Mulder claimed Johannesburg could still be under opposition coalition governance if not for the DA's conduct as a partner
- The DA has previously faced similar criticism from ActionSA over its approach to coalition negotiations in Johannesburg
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Getty Images
SOUTH AFRICA — Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader Corné Mulder has publicly blamed the Democratic Alliance (DA) for the collapse of coalition governance in Johannesburg, making some of his most pointed criticisms of the party to date.
According to News Day, Mulder delivered the remarks during a panel discussion at the 2026 BizNews Conference, held at the Champagne Sports Resort in the Drakensberg. He described the DA's conduct in coalition politics as arrogant and said it had directly undermined efforts to keep Johannesburg under opposition control.
Mulder questions DA's motives in Johannesburg
"I have dealt with the Democratic Alliance regarding coalitions for quite some time, and I do not even want to go into the details," Mulder told the conference.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
He stated his firm belief that the city's coalition of opposition parties would have held together without the DA's involvement.
"It is my honest view that Johannesburg would still be governed by a coalition of good people today if it were not for the DA. I have no doubt about that," he said.
Mulder went further, raising questions about whether the party had deliberately allowed the city to deteriorate. "Perhaps it was part of the DA's strategy to let Johannesburg 'go down the tube' to where it is now, only to return later as a big saviour," he said.
A pattern of coalition criticism
Mulder's remarks echo concerns raised by other opposition figures. ActionSA leader and former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba has previously accused the DA's leadership of arrogance and disconnect, questioned whether ActionSA would work with the party again, and blamed both the DA and the ANC for the city's ongoing decline. Mashaba also previously accused former DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille of contributing to the collapse of stable city administrations.
Zille accused of refusing to compromise
Briefly News previously reported that ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont has similarly alleged that the DA chose not to compromise with smaller opposition partners during coalition negotiations, contributing to the breakdown of talks.Zille, who is now the DA's mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, has previously dismissed the arrogance label. She has argued that critics apply the term whenever the DA declines to abandon its core principles and policy positions.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
