Status quo entrenched and no surprises in the Western Cape

Abstract

Unlike previous elections in the province, there was an expectance that the Democratic Alliance (DA) would retain control of the City of Cape Town, as well as consolidate in other municipalities in the Western Cape. In the run-up to the 2016 local government election, the ANC, in the Western Cape put on a brave face indicating that it could unseat the DA. However, the 2016 election in the Western Cape saw an entrenchment of the status quo. Indeed, the story of the 2016 Local Government Election in the Western Cape is the story of the DA’s ascent and the ANC’s decline in the province. The DA consolidated its support base in the City of Cape Town from a comfortable majority of 61 percent, in 2011, securing a twothirds majority of 68 percent in 2016. In the rest of the Western Cape, the DA also consolidated its support base, winning in most municipalities with an outright majority and taking control of the balance through coalition agreements. The African National Congress (ANC), which had lost control of the city in 2006 when it was forced out of power through a DA-led coalition, saw its fortunes decline even further in 2016. The ANC no longer controls a single municipality in the Western Cape. This article examines electoral dynamics in the Western Cape, which saw the consolidation of DA support in the province.