- 24 Jul 2011 23:17
#13763640
As some of you may know, South Africa held local elections on the 18th of may this year.
Despite the fact that the ANC-defector party COPE lost most of its support due to infightings and despite the fact that the zulu Inkatha Freedom Party continued bleeding voters to the ANC, the ruling party's support still declined. They are now definately below the two thirds majority. This was matched by a significant rise in support for the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's foremost opposition party. The Western Cape in particular swung heavily to the DA, with them taking control of most municipalities there. But the DA also made large gains in metros in other provinces, such as Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Tshwane. They were able to maintain goverance in Midvaal and Bavians and also added a few Northern Cape muns to its fold.
Once primarily a small anti-apartheid party for white urban liberals, the DA (then DP) grew to prominence by absorbing the minority voter base of the former ruling National Party in the 1990s under then leader Tony Leon. Having accomplished this, present leader and Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille has set her sights on the black majority voters. An impossible task a mere few years ago, but things appear to be changing. The idea that the DA could seriously challange the ANC in any major metro outside the WC would have seemed outlandish just five years ago, but has now become a reality. Especially in Nelson Mandela Bay where the ANC collapsed spectacularily and lost 15% of the vote. With 52%, it just barely retained the metro. Results are similar in Johannesburg, though to a lesser degree, with the ANC slipping below 60% to land at 58%.
Under Zille's leadership, the party structures has undergone diversification. More senior members than ever before are none-white, such as party spokesperson Lindiwe Mazibuko and mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Mmusi Maimane. Though obviously most of the leaders are still white, the party is attracting more and more supporters from other ethnic groups. Much of it probably has to do with Zille's relaunch of the party: a rainbow logo, inclusive slogans such as "one nation, one future" and positive campaigning based on service delivery has given results. Average black support rose to 6% in this election, and support was particularily strong in certain township wards outside of Port Elizabeth. The DA even managed to win some polling stations (not whole wards) in Kliptown, Soweto after vigorous campaigning there.
If the DA can build on what it started this year, the coming national election may actually be exciting for like the first time ever! What do some of you guys think? Is the ANC:s corruption and slow pace of service delivery enough to convince more people to vote DA? I'm positive myself. I follow closely the activety of the party, and its youth league in particular seems to attract an increasing number of black members. This will be good for south african democracy by shaking the ANC from its state of complacency and sense of entitlement.
Below are the national results for the local elections. The results for the last local elections are in paranthesis:
ANC: 62,0% (66,3)
DA: 23,9% (14,8)
IFP: 3,6% (8,1)
COPE: 2,1% (did not exist in 2006)
Despite the fact that the ANC-defector party COPE lost most of its support due to infightings and despite the fact that the zulu Inkatha Freedom Party continued bleeding voters to the ANC, the ruling party's support still declined. They are now definately below the two thirds majority. This was matched by a significant rise in support for the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's foremost opposition party. The Western Cape in particular swung heavily to the DA, with them taking control of most municipalities there. But the DA also made large gains in metros in other provinces, such as Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Tshwane. They were able to maintain goverance in Midvaal and Bavians and also added a few Northern Cape muns to its fold.
Once primarily a small anti-apartheid party for white urban liberals, the DA (then DP) grew to prominence by absorbing the minority voter base of the former ruling National Party in the 1990s under then leader Tony Leon. Having accomplished this, present leader and Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille has set her sights on the black majority voters. An impossible task a mere few years ago, but things appear to be changing. The idea that the DA could seriously challange the ANC in any major metro outside the WC would have seemed outlandish just five years ago, but has now become a reality. Especially in Nelson Mandela Bay where the ANC collapsed spectacularily and lost 15% of the vote. With 52%, it just barely retained the metro. Results are similar in Johannesburg, though to a lesser degree, with the ANC slipping below 60% to land at 58%.
Under Zille's leadership, the party structures has undergone diversification. More senior members than ever before are none-white, such as party spokesperson Lindiwe Mazibuko and mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Mmusi Maimane. Though obviously most of the leaders are still white, the party is attracting more and more supporters from other ethnic groups. Much of it probably has to do with Zille's relaunch of the party: a rainbow logo, inclusive slogans such as "one nation, one future" and positive campaigning based on service delivery has given results. Average black support rose to 6% in this election, and support was particularily strong in certain township wards outside of Port Elizabeth. The DA even managed to win some polling stations (not whole wards) in Kliptown, Soweto after vigorous campaigning there.
If the DA can build on what it started this year, the coming national election may actually be exciting for like the first time ever! What do some of you guys think? Is the ANC:s corruption and slow pace of service delivery enough to convince more people to vote DA? I'm positive myself. I follow closely the activety of the party, and its youth league in particular seems to attract an increasing number of black members. This will be good for south african democracy by shaking the ANC from its state of complacency and sense of entitlement.
Below are the national results for the local elections. The results for the last local elections are in paranthesis:
ANC: 62,0% (66,3)
DA: 23,9% (14,8)
IFP: 3,6% (8,1)
COPE: 2,1% (did not exist in 2006)
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