Key Takeaways
- The DA Western Cape’s final rally framed the upcoming municipal election around four pillars: retain, regain, grow and breakthrough.
- After the 2021 municipal polls, 16 of the province’s 30 municipalities were hung, leaving the DA vulnerable to coalition instability.
- Party leader Tertuis Simmers stressed that retaining current support hinges on delivering basic services and maintaining public trust.
- Regaining lost ground focuses on wards where the DA slipped by just one or two seats due to low turnout, exemplified by Hessequa municipality.
- Growth targets new demographics—young people, first‑time voters, working‑class and rural communities—and aims to build fresh party structures.
- The breakthrough objective seeks to win over every voter by promising respectful engagement and positioning the DA as the antidote to coalition chaos.
- DA mayor Geordin Hill‑Lewis warned that voting for the PA, ANC, GOOD or EFF would repeat the costly instability seen in coalition governments.
- Internal friction arose from the placement of Abdulkader “AK” Elyas on the City of Cape Town candidate list, leading to his membership termination after a disciplinary process.
- Despite the Elyas controversy, the party’s provincial campaign remained largely scandal‑free as it closed its final rally in Erica Park Sports Complex, Belhar.
Overview of the Final DA Western Cape Rally
On Saturday, the DA Western Cape transformed the Erica Park Sports Complex in Belhar into a sea of blue for its final provincial rally ahead of the municipal elections on 4 November. Party leader Tertuis Simmers addressed thousands of supporters, delivering a unifying message that the DA’s governance record surpasses that of rival parties and that voters must therefore back the “blue machine.” Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the DA’s track record on service delivery, infrastructure and fiscal management offers stability, while opposition parties threaten to plunge municipalities into chaos. The rally served both as a morale boost and a strategic briefing, outlining the party’s roadmap for the final 25 days before polling day.
The Four Campaign Objectives: Retain, Regain, Grow, Breakthrough
Simmers declared that the DA’s campaign would be organized around four interlinked objectives: retain existing support, regain lost ground, grow into new communities, and achieve a breakthrough in voter appeal. He framed these as a single, cohesive strategy—“Four objectives, one campaign, one Western Cape.” Each pillar addresses a distinct challenge: retaining votes in municipalities where the DA currently governs, recapturing wards where narrow margins were lost, expanding the party’s reach to untapped demographics, and finally converting every voter’s respect into increased support. By presenting the objectives as a unified march, Simmers sought to keep party members focused and disciplined in the closing weeks of the contest.
Context of Hung Municipalities After 2021 Elections
The rally repeatedly referenced the aftermath of the 2021 municipal elections, when 16 of the Western Cape’s 30 municipalities resulted in hung councils. This fragmentation forced parties into coalition arrangements that, in many cases, proved unstable and ineffective. Simmers pointed to places like Knysna as cautionary tales, where coalition‑related chaos hampered service delivery and eroded public confidence. The DA argues that voters now recall the dysfunction of those administrations and are therefore more inclined to entrust the party with sole control, believing that a single‑party administration can avoid the gridlock and mismanagement associated with power‑sharing deals.
Simmers on Retaining Existing Support
On the retain front, Simmers told supporters that where the DA already governs, its teams must work daily to earn and keep the trust of residents. He linked this effort directly to the everyday impact of local government: basic services, road maintenance, infrastructure development and the prudent management of public funds. By emphasizing tangible delivery, Simmers aimed to reassure voters that the DA’s incumbency is not a given but a continual performance metric. The message was clear: retaining power requires consistent, visible improvement in the quality of life for citizens, not merely reliance on past achievements.
Efforts to Regain Lost Ground
Simmers acknowledged that in several municipalities and wards the DA had lost its majority by the slimmest of margins—sometimes just one or two seats—due to inadequate voter turnout in 2021. He cited Hessequa municipality, encompassing Riversdale and Heidelberg, as a prime example: the DA had the largest share of votes there but fell short of a majority because supporters did not turn out in sufficient numbers. The regain objective therefore involves targeted mobilization, community outreach and voter‑education campaigns designed to convert latent support into actual ballots on 4 November. Simmers urged activists to hit the streets, remind residents of the stakes and ensure that every DA‑inclined voter casts a vote.
Strategies for Growth and New Outreach
Growth, according to Simmers, means reaching communities the DA has not previously engaged. This includes young people, first‑time voters, working‑class households, rural residents and potential new activists and leaders. The party intends to strengthen its grassroots structures, recruit fresh talent and create platforms that resonate with these groups’ concerns—such as job creation, affordable housing and access to quality education. By expanding its base beyond traditional strongholds, the DA hopes to build a more durable coalition of support that can withstand future electoral shocks and provide a broader mandate for governance.
The Breakthrough Vision and Voter Engagement
The breakthrough pillar is perhaps the most aspirational: Simmers argued that no voter inherently belongs to an opposition party and that every individual, regardless of community, deserves to be heard and treated with respect. He contended that if the DA consistently listens to voters, addresses their concerns and demonstrates genuine respect, it will naturally experience a breakthrough in support. This approach ties directly into the other three objectives—by retaining trust, regaining lost wards and expanding outreach, the party creates the conditions for a broader electoral surge. Simmers warned that opponents would try to distract the campaign with headlines, but he urged activists to stay organized, grounded and focused on the core message of stability versus chaos.
Hill‑Lewis Warning About Coalition Chaos
DA mayor and incumbent Cape Town leader Geordin Hill‑Lewis echoed Simmers’ sentiments, warning that voting for parties such as the Patriotic Alliance, ANC, GOOD or EFF would repeat the costly instability witnessed in coalition governments. He reminded the crowd that residents have already paid the price for dysfunctional alliances—through delayed projects, poor service delivery and financial mismanagement. Hill‑Lewis positioned the DA as the sole party capable of delivering continued progress and defeating the “chaos of the PA, ANC, GOOD and EFF.” His call to action was straightforward: every DA supporter must vote, and must encourage family and friends to do the same, ensuring a decisive victory on 4 November.
Internal Controversy: The Elyas Candidacy Fallout
While the provincial campaign remained largely scandal‑free, internal tension surfaced over the placement of Abdulkader “AK” Elyas on the City of Cape Town’s candidate list. Elyas, who had admitted to providing false information about his academic and professional credentials and was undergoing a disciplinary process, was positioned above established DA figures such as Zahid Badroodien (water and sanitation) and Carl Pophaim (human settlements). The decision sparked an internal outcry, prompting a disciplinary review that ultimately resulted in the termination of Elyas’s party membership. He has announced intentions to challenge the decision in court. The episode highlighted the DA’s commitment to upholding ethical standards, even as it sought to present a unified front in the final stretch of the election campaign.
Prepared for the News24 Elections Hub.