Thank you, Tshwane, for voting for CHANGE!

09 August 2016

Note to editors: The following remarks were made by DA Mayoral Candidate for Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, at the DA’s “Thank you Tshwane” Rally held at Freedom Park. Msimanga was joined by DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, John Moodey, and DA Gauteng North Regional Chair, Fred Nel.

This moment of celebration in Tshwane belongs to the people of this great City, who have voted for change in their numbers and endorsed the DA. Indeed we have achieved an historic outcome in Tshwane, as the largest party with the most support.

It has been a long campaign but together we have brought change to the Capital. We promised to deliver better services, to cut corruption and to create jobs, and we have received the ringing endorsement of the people for this promise.

I am grateful beyond words, and humbled by the support we received from voters across the City. The DA does not take this mandate lightly, and will work all-out to honour the trust of voters.

Your vote is always your power, and you have spoken loudly and clearly in this election to put the DA as the largest party in Tshwane. Voters are the masters, and politicians are the servants. The DA will put the people of Tshwane first.

Our growth and our success would not have been possible without the thousands of DA activists and members, public representatives and professional staff – I thank them all. It is through their hard work, determination and dedication that we can begin to move Tshwane forward again.

The DA has achieved what many said we couldn’t, and we have done it with the power of the people in Tshwane. Your backing and your approval of our Manifesto for Change has me truly honoured.

They said we were a Western Cape party, and they tried to divide us along racial lines, but with the votes of Tshwane’s people, we have shown them the truth: The DA is growing faster than any other party here one election to the next and we are now the largest party in Tshwane.

101,000 more people in the City of Tshwane alone have voted for the DA in this Election than in the previous Municipal Election in 2011. This means the DA has grown by 36% in Tshwane over the past five years.

We have grown in every community, and in every town within Tshwane. We have grown support from black South Africans, coloured South Africans, white South Africans, and Indian South Africans - thank you, South Africa.

When we say we are the most diverse party in South Africa, we are speaking for the millions of South Africans who have made the choice to support our party of change from all races and cultures – thank you, South Africa.

Thank you, people of Tshwane, for the resounding support for the DA – we will not disappoint.

Issued by the DA, 9 August 2016