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Today, 14 June 2024, eleven Democratic Alliance members were sworn in as members of the seventh sitting of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, up from ten seats held in the sixth term.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr Vicky Knoetze on her election as the DA’s newly elected leader of the official opposition. Vicky is a seasoned DA politician who has served in the legislature since 2014. At the time, she was the youngest of the 63 MPLs sworn into the fifth Eastern Cape Legislature.

Vicky has now made history as she becomes the first female leader of the official opposition in the province.

I also congratulate DA Eastern Cape Chairperson Yusuf Cassim on his appointment as the official opposition's chief whip. He became the youngest member of the sixth Eastern Cape Legislature in 2019. Yusuf, now 34, is officially the youngest chief whip of the official opposition to be appointed in the province.

Together with the other nine DA members, this diverse group of individuals brings a mix of skill, expertise, and experience that places the party in good standing to serve the people of the Eastern Cape. The infusion of new members to the team brings fresh perspectives and new energy, invigorating our efforts to find innovative approaches to addressing the province's numerous challenges.

Today, every member of the legislature, regardless of the political party they represented, took an oath that they will obey, respect and uphold the Constitution and all other laws of the republic and gave their solemn promise to fulfil their duties as a member of the legislature to the best of their abilities.

I am confident that each member of the DA will remain faithful to this oath and use the five-year term before them to serve the people of this province to the best of their ability.

As the official opposition in the Eastern Cape, we will not shirk our responsibility of holding the provincial government accountable.

Dr Knoetze will, in due course, announce our shadow cabinet, which will be tasked with monitoring their respective portfolios and ensuring that their counterparts are held to account.

Where the DA is in government, we have shown that even under harsh economic circumstances, growth, job creation, and improved living conditions for all—especially the poor—can occur. We will use these examples as a benchmark for what can be accomplished through good governance and are willing to share these successes to develop terms of best practices that could be implemented here.

Our efforts will focus on holding the provincial government accountable, ensuring transparency and preventing the misuse of power. We will continue to advocate for policies that promote economic growth, job creation, and improved living conditions for all.

The DA will continue to fight with unwavering commitment for the people of the Eastern Cape.

Issued by Andrew Whitfield MP - DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader