The Patriotic Alliance (PA) in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament says it respects the outcome of the election of the Premier of the Province.
The DA’s Alan Winde was re-elected Premier during the first sitting of the house following the 2024 elections. Winde has been in the position since 2019.
Daylin Mitchell was elected Speaker and Reagen Allen as Deputy Speaker.
Leader of the PA in the Provincial Parliament, Basil Petrus, says they will continue to fight to improve the lives of people in the province.
“As the Patriotic Alliance, we respect the process of the election of the Premier of the Western Cape, however as the Patriotic Alliance we will stand firm on our values and principles and we will stand up for all the people in the Western Cape.”
2024 Elections | Unprecedented milestone in the Western Cape
Duly elected during the first sitting of the 7th Parliament of the Western Cape today: Premier Alan Winde, Speaker Daylin Mitchell and Deputy Speaker Reagen Allen. View our Facebook album: https://t.co/66Eo4QbUUapic.twitter.com/aDLvzsGv5r
The National Coloured Congress (NCC) says it’s the last hope for the coloured people in South Africa. The party says that it seeks to unite all the historically oppressed people and those who support the cause, to recognize that the people commonly known as coloured or brown people are the descendants of the First Nations and have a historic claim to live and work peacefully in South Africa.
The NCC is led by Fadiel Adams. Its main focus is highlighting the struggles people living on the Cape Flats face and bringing about positive change in those communities.
The party says it’s fighting to see coloured people and everyone who is affected by perceived unfair practices of government, finally included at all levels of government and industry, based on hard work and skill.
“The National Coloured Congress is the voice of the coloured people, it’s the last hope for coloured people, represents the aspirations of coloured people, the disappointment of coloured people. The only party that speaks to the coloured needs, without its focus being anywhere else,” says Fadiel Adams.
The party says it will work hard to ensure that the quality of life improves for its members and supporters.
“When businesses don’t employ coloureds, we’ve successfully closed them down until they do and then the Mayor of Cape Town stepped in, took my rates money and took us to court to stop us from employing coloured people. The agenda is clear, gangsterism, drugs, prison, that’s what government has reserved for our people,” Adams adds.
Education is also one of the key areas of focus for the party.
The NCC says it will fight to ensure that a large portion of education opportunities are afforded to marginalized people.
“Look at the colleges, look at the varsities, half of all the matriculants in this province are coloured. Look at the entry rate to higher education, look at how NSFAS has neglected our kids. Our children don’t get into varsity. Our aspirations are being smothered by this government. The NCC says every child will be educated in his home language, but 50 % of all tertiary applications will be coloured under an NCC government,” Adams elaborates.
The NCC will only know after the elections if its policies will actually translate into votes. And South Africans from all walks of life are looking forward to voting on the 29th of May.
And the IEC in the Western Cape says its preparations for the elections are on track.
Video: 2024 Elections – We are the last hope for the Coloured people in South Africa: NCC
Mbalula held public mass meetings and went door-to-door in some of the communities. This to boost the ANC’s elections campaign in the province.
[IN PICTURES] To wrap up the Western Cape province campaign trail, ANC Secretary-General Comrade Fikile Mbalula, joined ANC volunteers for a door-to-door campaign and addressed community members in the community of Mbekweni in Paarl#VoteANC#VoteANC2024#LetsDoMoreTogetherpic.twitter.com/ESqXAjAk7A
The Western Cape is considered one of the big battle grounds for the upcoming elections. Mbalula, says they are now intensifying their campaign in the province. He is also confident that the ANC will beat the DA in the elections, and take back power in the Western Cape.
“The ANC is in a position to oust the DA out of power and to actually work for outright majority here. That’s what we want. It is possible because the DA has failed ordinary people here in the Western Cape and all that we’re getting from our people is that we know that the ANC is not in power and we are ready to go all out and vote on the 29th of May.”
A Premier candidate for the Western Cape is yet to be announced.
“The ANC doesn’t campaign through the premiership candidate position. The face of the campaign is Cyril Ramaphosa. Should there be a need to announce a premier candidate that will be done as quick as possible. That is what’s important. But we’re not banking on the premier candidates, we are banking on the movement and the broader sections of society following the ANC and that’s what we are about here in the Western Cape.”
The ANC says it is focusing on campaigning for elections and it isn’t too bothered by members who have joined other parties, ahead of the elections.
Residents at Zwelethemba, in Worcester, say they hope they will see positive changes in their community after the elections.
“We’ve got a lack of housing in Zwelethemba and most of the youth are unemployed. Most of the people are relying on a short contract to work six months and there’s no job thereafter and the most jobs that they do is sweep the streets,” says a resident.
“We are struggling a lot in a lot of things here in Zwelethemba, because there are places that still have no electricity, no water. We have nothing. We are living on our own. We make our own plans to get water and electricity. Thousands of people, more than 10 000 people living in those conditions,” adds another resident.
The ANC is expected to increase campaigning activities in the Western Cape in the coming weeks.
Political parties contesting the upcoming elections in the Western Cape have signed the Electoral Code of Conduct, during an IEC event at the Dulcie September Hall, in Athlone, Cape Town. This forms part of the IEC’s mandate as the Electoral Management Body to ensure an election that is free and fair.
The political contestants who signed the Code of Conduct, have committed themselves to uphold the underlying values and conduct required by the Electoral Code of Conduct and to which they publicly pledge to adhere to.
The purpose of the Code of Conduct in the Electoral Act is to promote conditions that are conducive to free and fair elections, including tolerance of democratic activity, free campaigning and open public debate. All contesting parties and candidates are bound by the code.
And the signing of the Code of Conduct represents a public commitment and sends a powerful message to the public, office-bearers, candidates, members and supporters saying that all role-players are committed to ensure that the elections will be a fair and safe contest in the province based on mutual respect and a common commitment.
“As the DA we take the pledge very seriously. We have vigorous internal party training mechanisms for our party activists and all of our party agents who will be working on the election day. Given that we have over 400 wards in the Western Cape, which means we will have thousands of our activists on the field on the day but also so that they fully understand what this pledge means and how it binds leaders, all of us and all parties to the Electoral Code of Conduct,” says Tertius Simmers, DA Western Cape leader.
The code can play a role in holding political parties accountable.
“It’s an important Code of Conduct and we are going to be doing each and everything, particularly working with our supporters and volunteers, working with each and every candidate to ensure that we as the ANC, take the lead in ensuring that the Code of Conduct is being adhered to, but even beyond that as the governing party in the country. As the official opposition in the province, we are also going to be calling on members of the public to adhere to this Code of Conduct, even if you are part of other political parties,” says Khalid Sayed, ANC Western Cape spokesperson.
“There is a huge growth of political intolerance in the country, therefore I think that this could be the kick to the right direction of holding political parties accountable, so we do support it and we also encourage other political parties to also abide with it,” says Mbulelo Dwane of EFF Western Cape.
Other parties that signed the IEC’s Code of Conduct in the Western Cape include the ACDP, the People’s Movement for Change and the National Coloured Congress.
The signing event represents a significant milestone in the run-up to the elections on the 29th of May.
Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgabo has cautioned South Africans to carefully consider who they will vote for in the 2024 elections.
He was speaking during his Easter Vigil at St George’s Cathedral last night.
Makgabo has called on the electorate to examine the credentials and manifestos of contesting parties.
“This election is not simply an election for a party. It is an election which calls us to decide for or against continued corruption, for or against inequality, for or against misgovernance. We need to examine party manifestos, but then, just as important, we need to decide whether we believe the parties are capable of implementing those manifestos.”
