WITH less than six weeks remaining until South Africans head to the polls on May 29, the battle for votes in the Western Cape is intensifying.
The DA has maintained a stronghold in the province for over a decade. Yet, current polling suggests that its long-standing majority could be in jeopardy.
Addressing supporters in Cape Town on Tuesday, Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie disclosed that five parties had united in favour of the PA in an effort to divert coloured voters from the DA. It was widely felt that the province needed a new strategy following more than 15 years of DA control.
“Five smaller parties in the Western Cape, including Advieskantoor, Karoo Gemeenskaps Party, Witzenberg Aksie, Oudtshoorn Gemeenskaps Inisiatief, and Karoo Democratic Force, have committed their support to the Patriotic Alliance and vowed to mobilise their members to vote for the PA in the upcoming elections,” McKenzie said.
“Western Cape is about to change, and we are also willing to work with all parties in the province, and we are not just targeting coloured communities.”
McKenzie highlighted what he saw as a misinformation campaign about the DA’s performance in different parts of the province.
“We’re reclaiming the province. The PA began establishing these relationships with these politicians and parties last year, and since then, their alliance has only gotten stronger.
“As we all want what is best for South Africa and the Western Cape, these leaders have come to recognise the importance of supporting the PA and not splitting the votes of their constituencies.“
McKenzie predicted with certainty that the DA’s provincial vote share would decline significantly, possibly falling below 40%.
“We called you here primarily to inform you that the Western Cape is about to change; the Western Cape is ours again.”
McKenzie said the ANC in the Northern Cape should be unseated, much like the DA in the Western Cape.
McKenzie’s ambitions extend beyond the DA’s governance in the Western Cape. He asserted PA’s intent to challenge the ANC’s incumbency in the Northern Cape, drawing parallels between the need for change in both provinces.
“We have got the same activity in the Northern Cape, trying to unseat the ANC. If I can tell you a secret, we are spending more money in the Northern Cape than we are spending in the Western Cape because, for us to unseat the ANC, we are going for an outright majority in the Northern Cape.
“So, they’re in bigger trouble; that’s why the president said they would deal with me,“ said McKenzie.
The Star