The DA in KwaZulu-Natal wants to use upcoming by-elections as a barometer in its bid to govern more municipalities in the province.
The party has launched its action plan to increase support in light of its 2021 electoral success, which saw it win its first municipality in the province thanks to uMngeni.
It says it first wants to retain its wards in key by-elections scheduled for September 11.
The vacancies were created when some DA councillors were deployed to be members of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature while others took on responsibilities in the National Assembly.
The six by-elections will be held in uMdoni under the Ugu district, the province’s south coast, and eThekwini metro.
“The turnout has been extremely encouraging in the voting stations we have visited in eThekwini,” explained DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers.
“Some of our councillors and public representatives have moved to higher offices to be members of the legislature and parliament. It’s important that we maintain the wards.”
Increasing presence in rural areas
The blue party has also made it known that it is now eyeing the eThekwini metro in the next local government elections, which are less than 24 months away.
The DA is the second-biggest party in the metro after the ANC.
In addition to uMngeni, the party is in charge of Kouga in the Eastern Cape and Midvaal municipality in Gauteng.
The majority of the municipalities under its control are in the Western Cape, where it holds the position of governing party.
The party has steadily increased its presence in KwaZulu-Natal’s rural areas.
It is a part of the government in certain councils, such as the one in Richards Bay’s Umhlathuze, which has a deputy mayor position.
The DA received two important MEC positions in the current government of provincial unity, which consists of the ANC, IFP, and NFP: finance, which Rodgers himself heads, and infrastructure portfolio.
