The Patriotic Alliance has won another ward in the Western Cape.
Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images
The PA has once again snatched a ward from the DA in the Western Cape, this time in by-elections in Stellenbosch and George on Wednesday, while the DA has won a ward from the ANC.
Since the 2021 local government elections, the PA has steadily been eating the DA’s support in the Western Cape.
In February, the PA overwhelmingly won Ward 16 in George, with 65.26% to the DA’s 34.25%.
The PA won its first ward in the DA-run Western Cape in June in Mossel Bay, and since then, the party has made inroads in several regions in the province, including the Cape Winelands.
On Wednesday, Elsabe Vermeulen – who was previously a DA councillor – won the Ward 16 by-election in Cloetesville, Stellenbosch municipality by 39.48%, or 850 votes, for the PA.
According to the Electoral Commission of SA, five political parties contested the Ward 16 by-elections, which saw a 46.51% voter turnout.
The other parties that participated in the by-elections were the Good party, ANC, and Truth and Solidarity Movement (TRUTH).
According to a celebratory post on X by PA president Gayton McKenzie, Good only got 419 of the votes, while the ANC bagged 200, and TRUTH received seven.
READ | DA ‘in ICU’, says Gayton McKenzie as PA snatches another ward in George
“The Western Cape is green, @OnsBaizaNie has entered the heartland of DA funders. We are unstoppable, our people are tired of DA rule. @helenzille ran or swam away because she saw the tide turning and realised the end has arrived,” wrote McKenzie.
In the 2021 local government elections, the DA won the ward by 47.65%.
Meanwhile, Jarques Denvar Esau won Ward 25 in Uniondale for the DA in George municipality with 42.97%. In the 2021 local government elections, the ANC won the ward by 29.80%, only for the DA to almost double that in the by-election on Wednesday.
In that by-election, the voter turnout was 58.23%. Other political parties that participated but failed to make any inroads were the EFF, PA and TRUTH.
Bongekile Macupe
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