DA says its support is growing

By-election results showed that support for the DA was growing across South Africa, the opposition party said on Thursday.

“As more results continue to come in, it is clear today has been a victory for the DA,” Democratic Alliance spokesman Mmusi Maimane said in a statement.

“We are growing, attracting new voters and breaking new ground...The results show that the DA is growing in communities across the country, from the Chief Albert Luthuli municipality in rural Mpumalanga to Pomfret in the North West province.”  The party said it also achieved “massive growth” in Tlokwe’s Ward Nine in the North West.  

On Wednesday night, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced the preliminary results of the Tlokwe by-election after voting had taken place earlier in the day.

Provincial electoral officer Tumelontle Thiba said the ANC won 551 votes and independent candidate Khotso Ratikoane received 447 votes.

She announced the DA secured 110 votes, the Congress of the People four votes and the African Peoples Convention eight votes.

These were preliminary results which still needed to be verified.  Tlokwe is at present being run by a DA mayor after councillors voted to unseat the ANC mayor. This follows a lengthy saga that took a turn in the High Court in Johannesburg.