DA: Statement by Jonathan Moakes, Democratic Alliance chief executive officer, on winning another ward off the ANC (26/08/2010)

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Published: 26 Aug 2010

DA: Statement by Jonathan Moakes, Democratic Alliance chief executive officer, on winning another ward off the ANC (26/08/2010)

Following its recent victory in Ward 99 in the City of Cape Town, the DA has today won another ward off the ANC in the Western Cape (Stellenbosch, Ward 1) - a further endorsement of the DA-run provincial government, and rejection of the ANC. The DA narrowly missed taking another seat off the ANC (in Cape Agulhas, Ward 5) by just 75 votes.

In Stellenbosch the DA won with 63.3% and 1 255 votes. This seat has always belonged to the ANC. The DA significantly increased its support in percentage and absolute terms compared to the 2006 local government election results, when it secured 39.5% and 521 votes. In contrast, the ANC's vote has declined dramatically, from 48.4% (or 724 votes) in 2006, to just 28.1% (or 556 votes) today.

Elsewhere, the DA held and grew its support in each of the six other by-elections it contested across the country (see end of statement for details).

Ahead of next year's local government elections, the message is clear: the momentum is with the DA. Where the DA governs, it delivers better services than the ANC, for all of the people; and so, increasingly, people are turning to the DA and rejecting the ANC. The DA continues to grow, establishing itself as a party of government for all the people, and the only viable alternative to the ANC.

In contrast, the ANC's support in Western Cape continues to rupture. Today's victory means the DA has won eight seats off the ANC in the last year (seven in the Western Cape and one in Gauteng) - a sure sign that the damage the ANC did when it governed the Western Cape runs deep and, faced with a choice between a party that delivers for all of the people, and one concerned with patronage, increasingly people are rejecting cronyism and voting for service delivery.

The DA will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that it delivers the best possible services for all the people wherever it governs, as it sets about building an Open Opportunity Society for All.

The seven other wards the DA has won off the ANC in the last year are as follows:

Randfontein (Ward 8) (Gauteng)
City of Cape Town (Ward 32) (Atlantis)
Overstrand (Ward 1)
Breede Valley (Ward 10)
City of Cape Town (Ward 44) (Heideveld/Gugulethu)
Theewaterskloof (Ward 12)
City of Cape Town (Ward 99)

Elsewhere, the DA competed in a further five by-elections. In every instance the party maintained and, in the majority of cases, increased its support from 2006:

In Cape Agulhas (Ward 5), the DA narrowly missed taking another seat off the ANC, losing by just 75 votes; nevertheless it increased its support to 48.6% (1 300 votes) from 38.2% in 2006 and if it continues to grow in this ward, will no doubt win next year.
In Mnquma (Ward 18, Eastern Cape) and Emthanjeni (Ward 4, Northern Cape) the DA maintained and increased its support respectively.
In Merafong City (Ward 18, Gauteng) the DA retained its seat, with 59% of the vote, a slight increase.
In Emfuleni (Ward 5, Gauteng) the DA retained its seat increasing its share of the vote to 94%.
And in Athlone (Ward 49, Cape Town City) the DA again retained its seat, more than doubling its share of the vote from 45% in 2006 to 92.3% today.

Tonight's results bode very well for the municipal elections next year where the DA hopes to continue this trend of sustained growth across the country.