Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape is heaving a sigh of relief after it managed to cling on to Kouga Local Municipality.
The party narrowly won Kouga with three seats during the 2016 local government elections.
Although its winning margins are not clear at this point as counting continues, the DA has retained Kouga winning eight of 15 wards. The the ANC emerged victorious in five wards, while counting at other two other wards was still continuing.
The Kouga victory was announced by the party’s leader John Steenhuisen.
In a statement Steenhuisen said the party is committed to build on the progress of work it had begun five years ago.
“We recognize that there is still so much to be done in Kouga.
The DA is excited and grateful to have this incredible opportunity to build on the foundation of good governance that we have laid over the past five years,” he said.
“Our message to the residents of Kouga is that we will keep striving to live up to their expectations. We will keep doing our best to serve them with dedication, integrity and humility,” he added.
During the campaign trail, the party hailed Kouga as part of its success story, claiming that it has turned it into one of the top 10 best run municipalities.
The municipality lies on the N2 between Gqeberha and the City of Cape Town and is part of the rich tourist destination, garden route.
While the DA would be relieved by the voting outcome in Kouga, the party’s top brass remained on the edge of their seats as the race for Nelson Mandela bay remained a tight affair.
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