Councillors switch sides as Western Cape parties battle for votes ahead of 2026 local elections. Picture Credit: Accord
By Aisha Zardad
Western Cape – The Western Cape is emerging as the political hotspot for the upcoming local government elections, with political parties intensifying efforts to win support.
Recent by-elections and a spate of defections suggest the province is shaping up as a three-way contest between the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Patriotic Alliance (PA), and the African National Congress (ANC).
The PA has openly recruited DA councillors, while the DA has sought to attract members from the ANC to offset its losses. This competitive scramble has involved promises of higher pay and senior positions to entice councillors to cross the floor.
The town of George has been at the centre of this political tug-of-war. In October, DA mayoral committee members Marchell Kleynhans and Brendon Adams resigned from the party to join the PA, triggering by-elections in Wards 17 and 27 — both formerly held by the DA. The PA went on to win both seats, winning nearly 60% of votes in one ward and topping 50% in the other.
These victories shifted the balance of power in George’s 55-seat council, costing the DA its narrow hold on power within the coalition with the Freedom Front Plus and the ACDP. Shortly after, Ward 11 councillor and DA chief whip Theresa Jeyi left the DA to join the PA.
Nationally, the PA gained further ground when former DA MP Liam Jacobs defected last year, providing Gayton McKenzie’s party with a prominent young addition aimed at strengthening its presence in the province.
Political instability has not been confined to George. In Saldanha Bay, acting mayor Charmaine Laubscher resigned from the DA and joined the PA, leaving the council temporarily without both a mayor and deputy mayor.
The DA has also been recruiting from the ANC. This week, George ANC ward councillor Jarques Esau left the ANC to join the DA. In November, former ANC Western Cape provincial secretary Neville Delport left the party to join the DA, a move soon followed by councillors Daniel Baadjies, Paul Strauss, and Jason Donn. Former City of Cape Town ANC caucus leader Banele Majingo joined the DA in March 2025.
ANC sources say the ongoing departures have fueled discontent, particularly among non-African members who worry their numbers are declining as others join the DA. Tensions are rising as speculation grows over further defections.
A leaked message circulating among party members suggested a mass resignation of ANC councillors in the Victor Molosi Region — which covers the Garden Route, including George, Knysna, Bitou, Oudtshoorn, Hessequa, and Kannaland. According to the message, up to 15 councillors could resign, citing frustration with regional leadership and internal power struggles. Several councillors were reportedly in talks with the PA. The claims have not been independently verified.
Sifiso Mtsweni said: “Up until today, only Majingo has left. He has not left with any other councillor. So, these rumours will always be there at local level — but in actual fact there has never been a mass exodus.”
On the PA, he added: “It is not here to take from the ANC.”
Mtsweni also criticised a DA billboard in Khayelitsha featuring Majingo, which read: “Owaye yinkokheli ye-ANC eKapa ukhetha i-DA … nawe unako!” which roughly translates to “Cape Town’s ANC leader chooses the DA. You can too.”
“That billboard is a pathetic attempt at reviving their battered image,” he said. “We condemn the use of the ANC’s name on a DA billboard. But we also understand that it is just desperation. It is a pathetic desperation, and it is going to do nothing to change their fortunes, particularly in Khayelitsha.”
JP Smith Western Cape DA metro chair said the party was unconcerned about defections, noting movement between parties is normal during candidate selection season. He highlighted that the DA is also gaining members from the PA, EFF, ANC, National Coloured Congress, and Freedom Front Plus.
“This is the time when certain people’s hopes become dashed,” Smith said. “Some members realise they will not secure the nomination they had hoped for and decide to leave. Our process is rigorous and transparent, involving written exams, interviews, and performance assessments, and that not everyone who applied would make the cut..”
Smith rejected ANC claims that the DA is a “dying horse,” pointing to growing polling trends: “Our polling is growing, their polling is shrinking. The ANC is steadily losing ground and will continue to lose wards in the upcoming elections.”
Steve Motale PA national spokesperson said the PA’s recent gains reflect growing support across the province and South Africa.
“We are humbled by the support we are receiving in the Western Cape and across the country, a growth that makes the PA the fastest growing party in the country,” he said. “In the Western Cape, we are now attacking George, Saldanha Bay and Drakenstein and we will turn our full attention to the City of Cape Town. Many councillors and ordinary South Africans are joining the PA because our policies like mass deportation of all illegal immigrants resonate with them.”
He added: “We are aware of baseless claims that have been made by our rivals, in particular the DA, accusing us of buying their councillors. These claims are baseless and far from the truth.”
Political analyst of North-West University Professor André Duvenhage said the recent defections are part of a broader reshuffle ahead of elections:
“What we are currently seeing is a pattern of individuals defecting from one party to the other and that has to do with their prospects in terms of their view of what may happen in a future election. As we have seen some ANC members choosing the DA, some DA members choosing the PA. It’s all about positioning your own interest with regard to the party you believe you will have the best opportunity getting positions of power. So yes, there is a bit of a reshuffling in the build-up to elections. It has also to do with the reconfiguration of the political spectrum that is taking place at the moment and that was prominent since the 2024 elections.”
Political analyst Zweli Ndevu said the hype around local government is not surprising with elections approaching:
“It is promising to see parties working hard to displace traditionally strong holds of their opponents. The important thing is to ensure that a political party keeps the momentum until the election day. It would seem that the PA is doing well in the space but the big question will they continue with the growth or was it a misplaced hype? Time will tell as it is still a long time before the elections and anything can happen.”
Voters will head to the polls for the 2026 local government elections between 2 November 2026 and 30 January 2027.
