Note to Editors: Please find attached a soundbite by Andrew Whitfield MP
This week, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape convened its first Provincial Council meeting of 2026 to discuss its roadmap ahead of the Local Government Elections.
As we approach the elections, Provincial Council committed to growth and that our public representatives, activists and volunteers will be on the ground, working with our residents and carrying the message that the DA is in their corner, fighting for them.
Council also acknowledged the incredible bravery and sacrifice of all firefighters and civil society who battled the recent devastating fires in the Kouga Municipality. These efforts were supported by the incredible leadership demonstrated by Mayor Hattingh Bornman and his team.
Furthermore, we honoured the legacy of party stalwart, Errol Moorcroft, who passed away earlier this month. Moorcroft served as a Member of Parliament for the Progressive Federal Party, the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Alliance across three decades. He also served as a former Federal Chairperson of the Democratic Party and was an accomplished farmer and author.
We reflected on a positive 2025 for the party during which many successes were achieved.
The DA delivered great results in three by-elections and the Nelson Mandela University Student Representative Council (SRC) elections.
We retained Ward 34 in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay as well as Ward 2 in the Kouga Municipality. We also achieved explosive growth in Ward 10 in the Makana Municipality, where we grew our support from 1,47% in the 2021 Local Government Elections to 26,38%.
The Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) also underscored the DA’s growth in youth support by achieving a landslide victory in the Nelson Mandela University SRC election.
Reflecting on the performance of the DA-governed Kouga Municipality, Provincial Council applauded Mayor Bornman and his team for continuing to raise the bar.
In November last year Kouga celebrated its second consecutive clean audit opinion. It was also recognised as the best performing municipality in the Eastern Cape, at the 2025 Municipal Performance Awards.
The DA is the only party that can offer the Eastern Cape municipal governments that work and a brighter future. Together we can get this province working again.