The DA have pulled off a spectacular victory in Wednesday’s hotly-contested by-election in Matzikama, Western Cape, by clinching a ward from the Patriotic Alliance (PA).
The party won with 1,568 votes. The ANC’s campaign efforts proved to be fruitless as it fizzled with a vote of just 31.57%, while the PA only managed to secure 5.60% of the votes.
Residents from Vanrhynsdorp, who make up the municipality’s ward 7, turned out in droves to elect a new councillor to replace Christo Boks who resigned from the PA to join the DA earlier this year.
Matzikama is currently controlled by a multi-coalition alliance, with the DA being the majority and its councillor Johan van der Hoven donning the mayoral chain.
Following a heated argument the leader of the PA Gayton McKenzie withdrew his party’s alliance with the DA.
The DA welcomed the outcome of the election.
“We sincerely thank the voters of ward 7 in Matzikama for putting their trust in the DA,” said the party’s interim leader in the Western Cape, Tertius Simmers.
“We thank Christo Boks for recognising that his commitment to good governance can best be met as a councillor for the DA. We shall work hard to honour the result of tonight's by-election.”
Simmers added: “The significant swing in favour of the DA gives us a stable majority coalition in the Matzikama Council.”
Weekend Argus.