EMALAHLENI, Mpumalanga — Geordin Hill-Lewis and the Democratic Alliance (DA) are setting their sights on making history in the 2026 Local Government Elections, with the party’s federal leader promising significant breakthroughs in traditional opposition strongholds ahead of the November 4 voting day.
Speaking at a recent political rally in eMalahleni, Hill-Lewis acknowledged the steep political landscape of the region. While the municipality has historically been a firm stronghold for the African National Congress (ANC) and the DA currently trails both the MK party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the area, the party is buoyed by recent momentum. Earlier this month, the DA secured a narrow byelection victory in the municipality, defeating the ANC by a margin of just 126 votes.
Capitalizing on this momentum, Hill-Lewis stated that internal polling indicates the DA is poised for further gains across the province. He highlighted that in several strategic municipalities, the ANC’s support has either fallen below the 50% mark or is projected to do so, opening the door for either an outright DA majority or a coalition government.
“The polls are telling us that the ANC is going to fall below 50%, which means that there is either a possibility of us getting an outright majority or going into a coalition,” Hill-Lewis told the crowd. “You will see on the 4th of November that we will penetrate much more than we have ever done.”
The DA leader placed special emphasis on the party’s growing appeal to younger demographics, noting that hundreds of thousands of first-time voters are planning to cast their ballots for the DA. He issued a direct promise to this new voter base, assuring them that the party would “earn your trust every single day” and “never let you down.”
This sentiment was echoed by the party’s youth structures, who framed the upcoming election as a generational shift. Youth representatives at the rally declared their intention to mobilize young South Africans to vote out the ANC, specifically targeting the ruling party’s alleged ties to the “construction mafia.”
Looking ahead to the post-election landscape, Hill-Lewis clarified the DA’s coalition strategy. The party intends to seek partnerships exclusively with like-minded parties in hung councils, firmly ruling out any coalition agreements with the MK party or the EFF.
Western Cape Social Housing and Constitutional Compliance
Beyond the electoral campaign trail, the DA Federal Leader also addressed governance milestones in the Western Cape, specifically regarding social housing in the City of Cape Town.
Hill-Lewis confirmed that both the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape provincial government have fully complied with a July Constitutional Court directive to develop a comprehensive social housing program. The court’s directive came after noting that the echoes of apartheid spatial planning continue to reverberate through the streets and suburbs of Cape Town, much like in many other South African cities.
Expressing pride in the submitted compliance report, Hill-Lewis noted that he personally dedicated significant time to drafting the document. He used the submission to highlight the DA’s broader track record in public housing delivery.
“It sets out how we are doing the most for public housing anywhere in South Africa,” Hill-Lewis explained. “That’s not our data. That is national government data which says where the DA governs, we build more houses than anywhere else in the country.”
He added that while the party initially questioned why they were specifically singled out to submit the report to the court, they ultimately welcomed the opportunity to formally place their governance and delivery track record on the public record.
