DA leader John Steenhuisen believes the timing is right for a strong, centred party in SA that could “break the logjam of politics”.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Times last week, Steenhuisen said he could see himself working with the ruling ANC.

“The president [Cyril Ramaphosa] has problems in his own party, which is why I think that more than ever before, a strong centred party for growth at the centre makes a perfect ally for the reform agenda within the ANC to find backing.

“I’ve said to the president, surely you can find 85 MPs on your side of the house to match our 85 and the others in the opposition to table your reform agenda and pass it.

“Could we work with the ANC? Yes, absolutely if we break the logjam of politics and are able to form a bulwark against radical socialism in SA. Absolutely we’ll work with anyone who shares the pro-growth agenda,” said Steenhuisen.

He said there was “potential for a realignment” around the centre of SA politics and he believes this is “where I think the DA needs to be able to play”.

It was time to come together, he said.

“What SA needs now more than ever before, given the terrible situation we are in, is a coming together to say what are the 10 to 15 things we need to do for the next decade that are going to get us off this terrible trajectory of unemployment, high debt, low growth and onto one of prosperity.

“I think that putting ideology aside, we can find what those 10 to 15 things are - and I think we can focus like a laser beam on them.”

Listen to a clip of the interview below: