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The Democratic Alliance (DA) hopes to tip the scales in favour of the formation of a coalition government in Sol Plaatje municipality at next week’s Ward 1 by-election in Kimberley.

The by-election presents the DA with an unparalleled opportunity to remove the ANC from power in Sol Plaatje for the first time since the dawn of democracy.

Decreasing support for the ANC saw the party come in with only 50,4% of the vote in the 2021 Local Government Election. Without Ward 1 under their belts, the ANC currently holds 32 seats in Sol Plaatje. The opposition also collectively holds 32 seats. This means that a win for the DA could kickstart negotiations with other parties to unseat the ANC in the Northern Cape’s capital municipality.

Ongoing deterioration in Kimberley is debilitating for residents and businesses. Over the years, we have seen the sparkle of the diamond city suffocated by poor ANC governance. Everything from our roads to our water and sewerage networks, is falling apart. Nightly water cuts, potholes and power outages that are not even due to loadshedding, are the norm. The unkempt and dirty state of the city is also deplorable.

Kimberley residents will not have to wait until the next Local Government Elections in 2026 to start rebuilding this city, if Ward 1 voters are prepared to take a firm stand against the decay that has become established in Sol Plaatje.

The DA has been campaigning hard in Ward 1 towards what we are hoping will be a historic by-election victory, not just for the DA but for all of Kimberley.

We have announced Calvin Johnson as our candidate. Calvin was born and raised in Roodepan and is now raising his own family here. He is a hardworking and committed member of the Ward 1 community and we are confident that he will prove to be a dependable councillor on whom Ward 1 residents can count to raise their grievances and to help get things done.

The DA encourages all residents of Ward 1, which includes part of Roodepan and part of Platfontein, to utilize the power of their vote on 22 February 2023. It is time to claim power back from the ANC, for the sake of all Sol Plaatje residents.

Ward 1 residents can vote at the Harvestime Baptist Church and Lucretia Primary School in Roodepan and at Platfontein Church in Platfontein. Residents must make sure to vote at the voting station where they are registered. Voting stations open from 7am until 9pm on Wednesday.

Issued by Harold McGluwa MPL - DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader