Following by-elections held in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, the Democratic Alliance (DA) won three wards from the Patriotic Alliance and the African National Congress (ANC) in Beaufort West and Murraysburg, and also clinched ward 5 from the ANC in Newcastle.

Western Cape DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers noted that this marked the first time that the Beaufort West municipality would be governed outright by the DA.

“This victory ushers in a turning point for the municipality, which has for years been wrought with corruption, mismanagement and poor service delivery. The DA has a proven track record of good, clean governance and we are committed to fix what has been broken and rescue Beaufort West,” said Simmers.

The DA also announced that it had retained Wards 64, 105 and 113 in the City of Cape Town, with a significant increase in support.

“Under the DA, the City of Cape Town is the best-run metro in the country, and the results today reflect the trust voters have in the party. Support for the DA in the metro grew at the National and Provincial Elections on 29 May 2024, and today’s results confirm that Capetonians chose the DA to continue to deliver to residents,” Simmers said.

The party congratulated newly elected councillors October Haarvoor, Gina Duimpies, Elvico Links, Izabel Sherry, Francois Berry and Sue Van Der Linde.

The election of a new DA mayor will take place in due course.

Meanwhile, DA KwaZulu-Natal provincial leader Francois Rodgers highlighted that the party would use the outcome of the by-election in KwaZulu-Natal to better serve the voters of Ward 5 and “by doing so continue in building our legacy of being a party that puts the needs of the people first.”

He noted that the DA viewed the victory as a further confirmation that the DA continued to be an attractive party for people for its good governance and service delivery.

“The result is also encouraging as the DA plans ahead towards the upcoming Local Government Elections in 2026. This is because the DA recognises that it is only through its governance track record that local residents can experience the best of what the DA has to offer in the sphere of local governance,” he said.