DA analysis of 2011 election results
The DA would like to thank each and every South African who gave us their vote on Wednesday. We will work very hard over the next five years to justify their trust in us and make good on our promise of delivery for all.
The DA's purpose is to build a non-racial alternative in South Africa that governs well and delivers for all. In short, we stand for delivery and diversity, redress and reconciliation. And our success in this election shows that we are succeeding, beyond our own expectations. The voters responded very positively to our message. The key points of this election result are as follows:
- We are the only established party that has increased its support, growing its base by 70%, but almost doubling in real terms.
- Around 1 in 4 voters cast their votes for the DA on Wednesday.
- We grew our support in every municipality we contested.
- We have increased our support among black, white, coloured and Indian South Africans.
- We have increased our support among poor and rich.
- We are South Africa's most diverse party, South Africa's only growing party and South Africa's best party for service delivery in government.
For a full analysis click here.
Our immediate task now is to deliver on our promise of delivery for all where we govern. We have established a unit at our National Head Office that will focus exclusively on supporting DA governments to ensure that we govern well and for all.
We will also sign legally enforceable performance contracts with every DA Mayor and undertake regular performance assessments of all Councillors.
Our plan for the future is to build on the foundation laid in this election, creating a powerful political force that embodies Nelson Mandela's vision of a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it and where every citizen has the opportunity to live a better life. This election creates a strong platform for growth in 2014.
Key DA facts and figures:
National and Provincial Growth:
Nationally, the DA increased its vote in absolute terms and as a percentage, from 16.3 % [or 1 611 131 votes] in 2006, to 24.3 % [or at least 3 047 649 votes] in 2011. This represents growth of at least 89.2 % from 2006.
The DA was the only established party to grow in the 2011 elections. It grew nationally, provincially, and in every metro and municipality it contested.
Metros:
The DA increased its support in every metro both in percentage and in absolute terms.
It was the only established party to do this. In seven of the eight metros the DA garnered more support than it managed in 2009.
The DA won the City of Cape Town, increasing its percentage of the vote from 42 % in 2006 to 63 % in 2011.
Councils where the DA Governs Outright:
In the 2011 elections the DA won thirteen municipalities outright, as well as four district councils, for a total of seventeen councils governed outright by the DA. They span three provinces, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.
Councils where is the Largest Party (but does not govern outright):
There are at least nine municipalities, in addition to those we control outright, that the DA may be able to govern in coalition with other parties, pending the outcome of discussions. Every discussion is dependent on the DA's capacity in that municipality to deliver effective coherent government and that any coalition partner shares the same values and ideals.
Should those discussions result in coalition governments in those municipalities, together with the 17 councils the DA governs outright, it would govern at least 26 councils in total. That is double the amount [13] the DA governed outright or in coalition prior to the 2011 election.
Of those nine councils seven were previously controlled by the ANC.
Of those 26 councils, in total, 13 were previously governed by the ANC
DA Growth among Black Voters:
The DA increased its percentage share among black voters from approximately 1 % in 2009 to approximately 5 % in 2011.
That 5 % means approximately 20% of the DA's support base is black, making the DA the most diverse party in South Africa
Wards Won by the DA off the ANC:
The Democratic Alliance won at least 133 wards from the ANC. To date, a breakdown of those wards is as follows: [KwaZulu-Natal: 8; Mpumalanga: 5; North West: 1; Limpopo: 3; Gauteng: 18; Free State: 4; Northern Cape: 25; Eastern Cape: 26; Western Cape: 43] As far as the DA can determine, we have lost five wards to the ANC across the country.
Statement issued by DA leader, Helen Zille, May 20 2011
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