The Democratic Alliance (DA) is hoping to win the Beaufort West and Central Karoo municipalities for the first time in the upcoming elections, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille said on Wednesday.

She said in 2014, the Democratic Alliance gained 42% of the vote there. She was confident the party could win it.

Zille said this while welcoming 100 people she said had joined the DA from the African National Congress (ANC), during a “street rally” in Murraysburg, Beaufort West.

Zille told her audience their vote was powerful, and they should use it.

In Beaufort West, the DA would have to unseat controversial mayor Truman Prince and compete against the Economic Freedom Fighters also campaigning there.

Prince was fined R10 000 at the beginning of the year for bringing the ANC into disrepute. He had asked that a tender be given to a construction company which was “sympathetic and having a relationship with the ANC”.

He was given six months to pay the fine. He was also accused of, and denied, assaulting a traffic officer, and a councillor.