By Wesley Ford
The DA has retained control of its blue bastions in the southern suburbs, albeit with a dip in support.
The party won 58.29% of the vote in the Cape metro, followed by the ANC with 18.6% and the EFF with 4.1% But this was down from the 66.6% it polled in 2016 against the ANC’s 24.3% and the EFF’s 3.17%.
The voter turnout in Cape Town this year was 47%, well down from 64% in 2016.
The DA won in all the wards where the Southern Suburbs Tatler is distributed. It took wards 53, 58, 59 and 115 comfortably despite losing support, but in Ward 57 it just managed to get over the 50% threshold.
In Ward 53, the DA won with 77.4% of the vote, down from 87% in 2016. Good came second with 5.09% and the ACDP third with 4.19%.
The DA’s Riad Davids, 57, from Pinelands, takes over from Brian Watkyns in Ward 53. Mr Davids thanked those who came out to vote for him despite the rain and the long queues.
His first order of business, he says, will be to meet with the ratepayers’ and residents’ associations across his ward, which covers Pinelands, Maitland Garden Village, Ndabeni, Thornton, Epping Industria, parts of Bokmakierie and Koeberg Road station.
In Ward 57, the DA polled 55.91%, which was well down from 75.29% in 2016. Good came second with 11 % and the EFF third with 8.78%.
The DA’s Yusuf Mohamed, 32, from Kensington, will take over from Patrick Chapple, who takes up a proportional representation (PR) position with the party.
“The opportunity to serve is a privilege that I will not take lightly,” Mr Mohamed says. “There are many mechanisms available for residents to improve their surrounding community. I intend to lay this foundation.”
He says he does not intend to sit behind a desk all day. “ If you want to make a real difference, go out there and see what the residents across the ward see.”
He will be working in a diverse ward that includes parts of Rosebank, Salt River, Zonnebloem, Observatory, Woodstock and Mowbray.
In Ward 58, the DA won comfortably with 84%, but this was also down from the 92.2% it managed in 2016. Good came second with 5.45 % and the ANC third with 2.64%.
Katherine Christie, 53, from Harfield Village, takes over from Sharon Cottle and says she expects to hit the ground running, meeting with various civic groups in the ward to hear their concerns, hopes and aspirations for Claremont, Rondebosch and Kenilworth.
“I am elated, delighted that all our hard work has paid off, and I’m really looking forward to serving our community.
“There are some situations which require urgent attention. I want to be as consultative as possible in resolving these.”
In Ward 59, the DA polled 83.47%, down from 89.93% in 2016. Good came second with 5.55% and the ANC third with 2.74%.
Mikhail Manuel, 30, from Rondebosch, takes over from retiring councillor Ian Iversen.
“I feel honoured that the voters have put their confidence in me and the DA again,” Mr Manuel says.
His focus will be on providing excellent service delivery, he says. “I believe we have an incredible opportunity to polish what works in our neighbourhoods and improve the shortcomings.”
He adds: “I believe that we can do more to address safety, congestion, and homelessness in the ward.”
Claremont, Kenilworth, Rondebosch and Newlands make up Ward 59.
In Ward 115, the DA won with 71.94%, down from 84.22% in 2016. Good came second with 7.66% and the ANC third with 4.56%.
Ian McMahon, 53, from Sea Point, retains the position he first won in a by-election last December, replacing Dave Bryant, who stepped down.
“I feel that the election, resulting in a clear majority for me as ward councillor, is a reflection and score-card of the 10 months that I have been a councillor in the area.”
Mr McMahon says he expects to have a full month of many meetings, doing as much as he can before the December recess.
“It goes without saying that the mandate given to me by the community needs to be acted on, and the challenges need to be looked at intensively with plans to meet those challenges mapped and plotted out.”
Ward 115 includes Woodstock, parts of Salt River, parts of District Six, Sea Point, Mouille Point, Green Point and parts of Gardens.