Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Werner Pretorius MPL, and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng. See attached pictures here and here.
The DA welcomes the Electoral Court’s judgement this morning, dismissing the ANC’s appeal to include its non-submitted proportional candidate list for Mangaung after the deadline.
The DA understands that all 8 of the ANC’s potential mayoral candidates have now been excluded from contesting.
The ANC’s absence from the PR ballot presents a unique opportunity for the already disheartened residents of Mangaung to vote for an honest, capable, and hard-working local government that can get Mangaung Working For All. The chance for political and governance change now presents itself, where the ANC is the author of its own demise.
The reality is that the ANC’s decreasing support places many of their Ward Councillors at risk of not being elected again – and the Wards the ANC loses can no longer be balanced out from the PR list. The battle to get Mangaung working is well and truly on.
The DA has been running a year-long campaign in Mangaung, as we have across Metros in South Africa, with pre-announced Mayoral Candidates who were submitted to the IEC on time.
Since the DA named me Mayoral Candidate for Mangaung, I have been actively engaging residents on the immense service delivery issues across this Metro.
A political party that cannot submit its candidate list on time cannot be trusted to govern a Metro, provide quality basic services, and grow the local economy of the City of Mangaung.
This non-submission clearly indicates a lack of political will and leadership, as shown by the mismanagement of the Metro, which has now been under both provincial and national administration.
On 4 November, residents across Mangaung can unite behind a strong and united DA to get Mangaung Working For All.