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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is satisfied with the Party’s performance at the Nama Khoi, Ward 2 by-election yesterday. We are, however, disappointed in the community’s failure to hold the ruling party to account for its service delivery failures in Rooiwal, Steinkopf and Vioolsdrift.

While not winning the ward, the DA has stabilised support for the party in the Northern Cape, with slight growth when compared with votes won in the 2016 Local Government Elections.

More significant than the steadying of DA support in the province, however, is the significant increase in dissatisfaction of local residents with service delivery under the ruling party. This was picked up during our own community interactions.

Unfortunately for the residents of Nama-Khoi, however, the overall decision to remain loyal to the ruling party, and to once again be won over by their last-minute promises and payoffs, will not usher in the change that they desire and deserve. The election of a new ANC councillor, in an old ANC local government, that has already proven its inability to perform, will not make a difference to the lives of the people of Namaqualand.

Luckily for the people of Nama Khoi, they have another opportunity, in just six months’ time, to again review their vote if their needs are still not met.

In the run-up to the 2021 Local Government Elections in October, the DA will therefore work harder to get people to understand the power of their vote and to embolden them to use their vote for what it is intended – a tool to reward good governance and means to punish government failures.

If residents are still unhappy with the state of water, housing, sanitation, community safety, lighting and job creation projects, then they have the right to demand better. They also have the freedom to change their vote and change their circumstances. It is, after all, no coincidence that the country’s best run municipalities are governed by the DA.

Its high time that the people of the Northern Cape, where protests are rife, realise that they have to take their protests from the streets to the polls if they are to get the best out of government, and ultimately restore our broken province and country.

Issued by The DA