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This morning I made the DA’s first results projection, from the floor of the IEC National Results Operation Centre.
The DA’s election data modelling indicates that, for the first time in our history, more than one million black South Africans will have voted for the Democratic Alliance, in this Local Government Election of 2026.
Our projections also indicate that the DA will have received more votes from black South Africans than the EFF, making us a mainstream party in every community, whether you are black, white, coloured or Indian.
These are projections, and we await the final certified results.
But the significance of this potential milestone goes far beyond the numbers.
For too long, South African politics has been defined by the assumption that the colour of your skin determines the party you vote for.
The DA has always believed that South Africa can be different, that we can build a party for all, that works for all, and that delivers for all.
Early results suggest that this vision is finding support across more communities than ever before.
It is a reminder that political parties do not have to rely on racial division, resentment or hatred to build support. South Africans can find common cause in the things that unite us: the desire for good government, opportunity, dignity and a better future for all South Africans.
And perhaps the most remarkable thing about this election is what it means for the elections still to come.
We are moving towards a South Africa in which voting for the DA, regardless of the colour of your skin or the community in which you live, is no longer regarded as an unusual political choice.
A South Africa in which it is unremarkable to vote for a party for all South Africans whether you are black, white, coloured, or Indian is in itself remarkable.
Because it means that the old racial boundaries of our politics are beginning to lose their hold.
It would mean that a country for all is not simply an aspiration, but something South Africans are choosing to build together.
And it would mean that the future of our politics is no longer determined by the divisions of our past.
Issued by DA Federal Council Chairperson Ashor Sarupen
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