The DA’s four additional mayoral candidates today outlined their pledges to restore basic services, strengthen municipal finances, fight corruption, and create opportunities for residents in Sundays River Valley, Walter Sisulu, Port St Johns, and Ingquza Hill.
Speaking at a media briefing in Buffalo City, Ald Karen Smith, Cllr Matthee Nel, Cllr Mbongeni Kotana, and Cllr Star Mvuyane set out the priorities they would pursue in government following the 2026 Local Government Election.
Their candidacies bring the total number of DA mayoral candidates in the Eastern Cape to ten, the highest number the party has fielded in the province.
The ANC’s failure to submit candidate lists in Port St Johns and Ingquza Hill, and proportional representation lists in Walter Sisulu and Sundays River Valley, has created new opportunities for change. We must earn residents’ support by showing how a DA government would improve their lives.
For Sundays River Valley, Ald Karen Smith has pledged responsible spending, an end to waste, and full financial transparency. Her priorities include basic services that work, attracting investment to grow the economy and create jobs, ensuring corruption-free government, and building a Valley that works for all.
For Walter Sisulu, Cllr Matthee Nel has pledged reliable basic services, functioning infrastructure, proper financial management, and accountable municipal leadership. He will prioritise attracting investment and growing the local economy to create job opportunities.
For Port St Johns, Cllr Mbongeni Kotana has pledged clean, accountable government, with water, electricity, refuse collection, sanitation, and road maintenance as municipal priorities. He will work to restore financial discipline, improve revenue collection, eliminate waste, and create an environment in which businesses, tourism, agriculture, and small enterprises can grow. He is committed to a government that listens, works with communities and traditional leaders, and is measured by what it delivers.
For Ingquza Hill, Cllr Star Mvuyane has pledged to prioritise clean drinking water and reliable basic services, including in remote villages, as well as better rural roads, bridges, and community infrastructure. He will support small businesses, emerging farmers, cooperatives, tourism, and agriculture to expand economic opportunities, particularly for young people and women. His pledges include stronger financial management, fair and transparent tenders and recruitment, accessible municipal officials, and councillors who account to their communities.
These pledges give residents clear priorities to hold our candidates accountable to.
Public money must serve communities, infrastructure must be maintained, and municipal leadership must take responsibility for delivery.
These mayoral candidates build on the commitments made by our first six mayoral candidates in August and form part of the DA’s manifesto promise to tackle corruption, improve services, build safer communities, and strengthen local economies.
The people of these four municipalities can turn this opportunity into lasting change by uniting behind the DA and electing stable, accountable governments.
We are ready to earn that mandate and get to work. The DA will get municipalities working for all.