UDM leader Bantu Holomisa open to coalition talk

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa has indicated that he would follow what the voters would have loved to see at the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan municipality. He was responding to questions on a planned coalition in the municipality‚ where the Democratic Alliance has a lead over the African National Congress but not an outright majority.

For the DA to lead the metro‚ it should form a coalition with other parties to obtain a majority.

In the preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa‚ the DA obtained 46.71% of the vote and 57 seats‚ the ANC 40.92 of the vote and 50 seats and the Economic Freedom Fighters obtained 5.12% and 6 seats.

“We follow what the voters would have loved to see. If‚ for instance‚ DA has got 1% ahead of ANC‚ then we know that people wanted DA.

“We have used the same formula when we supported the ANC in 2004 and DA in 2011‚” Holomisa said.

Holomisa explained that the DA leader Mmuasi Maimane approached him on Thursday when results showed that the DA might gain a lead.

“We said to them: ‘Fine but we will wait for the results’‚” Holomisa said.

Holomisa said the ANC did the same thing on Thursday and the UDM informed the ANC it would wait for the results

“I now know they have conceded defeat. So we will see what is the way forward.”

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Watch: We will follow what voters wanted – UDM’s Bantu Holomisa on Nelson Mandela Bay coalition