Federal leader of the Democratic Alliance, Mr John Steenhuisen
Federal Chairperson, Dr Ivan Meyer
Provincial leader, Mr Francois Rodgers
Provincial Deputy Leader, Mr Sithembiso Ngema
Provincial Chairperson, Mr Dean Macpherson
Provincial, Deputy Chairpersons,
DA Deputy Mayors, DA Councillors,
Members of the Democratic Alliance,
Members of the media, nabo bonke abantu abanathi nabasibukela emakhaya

In the face of adversity, we must find our greatest strength – courage. Today, we stand united, a diverse community with a shared vision of Hope.

Each day, the people of KwaZulu-Natal wake up to confront adversity – keeping businesses open, feeding families, waiting for water trucks to come and not come, and protecting our children from spiralling crime.

I know that many of you wonder about the future of our province after everything that this government has subjected us to, and like you, I am concerned about what comes next. Like our ogogo abasemakhaya, I worry about grants being paid on time and I worry about children going to school hungry. I’ve had enough of criminals ruling our communities because they have more power than the police and I’m angered by our fellow citizens being deprived of their dignity because they cannot find employment to support their families. We are concerned that things are going in the wrong direction.

Ngifisa ukudalula imfihlo nani namuhlanje. Lemfihlo ayaziwa abanye abantu. Ngikhathazekile, ngikhathazezile ngoba angazi ukuthi kuyini okuzolandela emva kwa-stage 6 wokucima kukagesi okuhleliwe i-loadshedding. Ngikhathazezile indlela abehluleka ngayo ukukhokhela izibonelelo zikahulumeni. Ngikhathazezile ukuthi baningi abantu abalala bengadlile. Ngikhathazezile ngoba izigebengu zinamandla ngaphezulu kwamaphoyisa. Ngikhathazezile ukuthi abantwana baya eskoleni belambile babuyele emakhaya futhi ikati lilele eziko. Ngikhathazezile ukuthi abantu abaningi abanasithunzi ngenxa yokwentula imisebenzi.

But I remind myself: hopelessness and fear are choices. To overcome them, we must summon our courage. Now, more than ever, it's time to be fearless and to take up our responsibility to create a new future. Courage is the mental, physical and moral strength to persevere and withstand difficult situations, danger, or fear, even when it's challenging or risky to do so.

It involves facing adversity, taking action in the face of fear, and standing up for what one believes is right.

Ukuba nesibindi, ukuba namandla, kusho ukubambelela uqinisele ngezikhathi zobunzima, zokwesaba, zokungabinaso isiqiniseko, ngisho noma ngabe kuyingcuphe kanjani ukwenza lokhu.

Isibindi siyahlukahluka kumuntu nomuntu futhi singabonakala ngezindlela ezahlukene.

Isibindi simela konke okulungile. Isibindi sithatha isinyathelo noma kukhona ukwesaba. Isibindi sibhekana nobunzima. Isibindi siyakwazi ukuhlukanisa iqiniso namanga, okulungile nokungalungile.

For too long, the KZN government has mistreated us, lied to us, and disrespected us. Enough is enough!

Today, we declare that we do not need to give up, and we need not fear. There's a plan, there's hope, and we are more united than we are divided. It's time to find the courage to rescue KZN and this can be done by a DA government in KwaZulu-Natal.

They said it was impossible for the DA to govern and we did it in Cape Town. They said it would be impossible to govern outside of Cape Town and we took the Western Cape. They said that the DA would be a regional party. We now run 36 municipalities across South Africa with the top 5 best-run municipalities being run by the DA. And, they said it would be impossible for the DA to win in KZN. Today the DA in the uMngeni Municipality is working hard to turn things around and deliver on our promises. There is still a long way to go to undo 27 years of corruption and cadre deployment but, through hard work, and hope, the DA together with the courageous men and women who chose hope: we rescued uMngeni.

2024 is our final opportunity for a better future, a future that could be filled with hope. It will be a demanding fight, requiring hard work and dedication to a cause larger than ourselves, but we will ensure hope prevails over fear.

Our plan is simple: one plus one equals win. Every DA voter must register one new DA voter so that we can win KwaZulu-Natal.

Sodat hoop kan slaag, moet elke persoon wat DA stem net een ander persoon kry om vir die DA te stem.

Ukuze libuye ithemba kumele wonke umuntu avotele iDA bese ekhuthaza nomunye umuntu amaziyo ukuthi avotele iDA.

This plan is for all, regardless of age, race, your gender or background to unite us and rescue this province that we all love from this uncaring government obsessed with stealing. Sizowamisa lamaselesele. No one is excluded. For those who chose not to participate or think it is someone else’s problem to solve, it is not, now is your last chance to save our beautiful province. We need you!

Virelkeen van julle wat versuim om julle deel te doen, julle faal die span. Niemand gaan kom om ons te red nie. Daar sal geen wonderwerk wees nie.

Akekho ozofika ozosisindisa. Ngeke kube khona isimangaliso. Wonke umuntu kumele abambe iqhaza.

In these uncertain times, we need a common vision – hope.

Let's put aside petty politics, distractions, and false narratives. Urgency calls us to action. Facing challenges and uncertainty, it's tempting to stick with the familiar. Instead, let's be courageous and create a new future.

To all those who are unregistered or have never voted for the DA, be courageous, yiba nesibini.

Ngo-1994 abantu babenovalo lokuthi kwakuzokwenzekani. Kodwa baphuma ngobuningi babo baletha ushintsho. Angeke sisenge ezimithiyo sithi akukho abakwenzile. Siyazibona izindlu zomxhaso, Siyabona abanye ababenganawo ugesi sebexhunyelwe ugesi. Nokho ke manje wonke umuntu usebumnyameni ngoba bahlulekile. Abantu ababeqashiwe, imisebenzi seyabaphelela, manje bahleli emakhaya. Abantwana bayafunda kodwa awekho amakhompyutha nezindlu zangasese ezikoleni. Amadamu akhona Kodwa amanzi awafinyeleli emakhaya. Amagrant ayatholakala kodwa kungakanani behluleka ukuwakhokha ngesikhathi?

Lapha esifundazweni sethu abantu sebake balishintsha ivoti. Kodwa impilo zethu zisesimweni esibi kakhulu kunakuqala. Manje, sekuyisikhathi sokuba siqine isibindi sokuthi sishintshe ivoti sifake abanye emandleni. Asifuni abantu abakhankasa ngezithembiso zamanga nabantu abakhankasa ngokuxolisa

I am honoured to have been selected by the DA as your Premier Candidate to carry a message of hope across KZN.

My presence here is a result of the democratic political freedom won 30 years ago. Regardless of my identity (age, race, gender, sexuality, rural upbringing), I stand before you, ready to lead, ready to serve.

But this political freedom that many have dedicated and lost their lives for must lead to opportunity, respect diversity, and ensure fairness. We must work harder than ever before to overcome our past which sought to separate people according to the colour of their skin, but, we can no longer shy away from the urgency to save our province from the rapid decline of the past 10 years.

In years to come we will reflect on this lost decade. But for now, we must fight to rescue our future. And so, a new generation is being called upon to deliver this better future.

This generation is not defined by age. It is a generation that is defined by a new mindset, a new ambition, a new struggle for a non-racial and prosperous nation where leaders serve the people and not abuse us. A future that is defined by hope and not fear.

What will you tell future generations about your role in freeing our province from this government which has long given up on us?

Today I call on everyone, business, civil society, NGOs, young, old, all races, all genders, rural and urban.

Take up your responsibility, be part of redefining our future, be the someone who does something about it.

Like so many dedicated DA activists and public representatives, I commit to playing my part to change the trajectory of our province and of our country. I am choosing to be courageous. I am choosing hope.

Asihlanganeni seseke iDemocratic Alliance sitakule iKZN. Let us unite behind the Democratic Alliance and rescue KZN.

Will you join me?