Johannesburg - DA Leader John Steenhuisen has claimed victory for the DA in the Eastern Cape's Kouga Municipality.
The municipality consists of towns including Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay, Cape St Francis and Thornhill.
Steenhuisen announced the victory at the IEC’s Command Centre in Pretoria, telling reporters the party had obtained the most seats in the council.
He also took to Twitter to congratulate members of the DA who had worked to retain the municipality. “Congratulations to our team in Kouga Municipality, Eastern Cape.
“The DA retains the municipality, giving us an opportunity of five more years to deliver basic services and build a growing local economy,” said Steenhuisen.
https://mobile.twitter.com/jsteenhuisen/status/1455494765445795843
In 2016, the DA won the same municipality with 17 seats and 56.49% of the vote, while the ANC secured 12 seats and 40.57% of the vote, and the EFF were third, with 0.96% of the vote.
With the count not officially over in Kouga, the Electoral Commission’s live data showed that the DA had secured nine Council seats as well as 53.5% of the vote, while the ANC had secured 37.18% of the vote and six Council seats.
The Eyewitness News quoted Steenhuisen as saying:
“My team have given me the excellent news that we have won Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
“We are going to go into there with 16 seats for the DA, 11 for ANC, one for the Freedom Front, one for the PA and one for the EFF.
"It's obviously a very important municipality for us, as you know from the most recent data that's come out, it is the most well-run municipality in the Eastern Cape," Steenhuisen said.
IOL