Big day for ANC as it beats the DA
COMMUNITY activist Billy Claasen will take up his seat in the Bergrivier municipal chamber in Piketberg next week following the ANC’s victory over the DA in a by-election on Wednesday. The ward was previously under the DA.
Claasen, who was first touted as a ward councillor in the 2000 municipal elections, competed in subsequent local government elections and came close to winning Ward 5 for the ANC last year, only falling short by 127 votes.
But on Wednesday his party won the ward by 194 votes.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) declared a vacancy in the municipality following the death of former DA Ward 5 councillor Jacob Josephus in May.
Claasen said yesterday that following his loss last year, he immediately went back to working in the community.
“I believe that you don’t need a title to work for the people. I’ve been waiting for 17 years for this moment. In 2000 I was overlooked and the same in 2006, and 2011,” said Claasen.
He said he won this time around because of the ANC activists in Bergrivier.
“I’m an ANC member and the ANC councillor, but I will represent all the people of the ward,” said Claasen.
He has become known from bringing attention to the plight of especially farmworkers in the area and says he won’t
make excuses for his work for the “poorest of the poor” in areas such as Piket-bo-Berg, Malanshoek, Redelinghuys and Eendekuil.
In a statement, the ANC said it was delighted with the victory in the “DA heartland”, but Claasen’s victory won’t change the power in the municipality, where the DA has eight seats and the ANC now five.
“During our campaign we found that people in the ward were very disillusioned with the DA’s service delivery record, but we worked hard, put in lots of hours and knocked on each and every door in the ward during the campaign and our hard work paid off,” said ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs.
Acting DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said his party remained committed to delivering “quality services, and good and clean governance to the Bergrivier community”.
“We understand the greater project of working towards a better South Africa and believe we are the only party that can bring about a new beginning for our people,” said Madikizela.
quinton.mtyala@inl.co.zake