Media Statement by Brett Herron, Secretary General of GOOD
GOOD’S SUPPORT SOARS IN THE WESTERN CAPE
12 NOVEMBER 2020
On “Super Wednesday” – the largest number of municipal by-elections held on one day – GOOD demonstrated massive growth in the Western Cape where we contested 6 by-elections.
This growth continues the significant growth trend witnessed since the 2019 provincial and national elections.
This week we witnessed how GOOD’s support is soaring whilst support for the old parties is tumbling.
Yesterday in George, GOOD snatched a ward off the DA in Pacaltsdorp, electing our first ward councillor not even 2 years after we launched. Richard Hector, GOOD’s candidate, won Ward 27.
GOOD also contested 3 other by-elections in George in Wards 8, 14 and 17, one ward in Saldanha and another in Langa.
In George and Saldanha, GOOD came a very close second to the DA and outperformed all other old and more established political parties.
In George’s Ward 14, we lost by a mere 56 votes. In Ward 17, voters cut their support for the DA from 63% of the vote to 38%.
After winning just 3% of the vote in George in the 2019 elections, GOOD has now emerged as the second biggest party in all wards contested.
In each of these wards the ANC’s support also tumbled significantly.
In Saldanha, GOOD’s candidate Sucilla van Tura lost Ward 13 to the DA by a mere 93 votes. Support for the DA – at 71% in 2016 – has dropped to just 44.6%.
The results from the 6 wards we contested in the Western Cape on Super Wednesday establish GOOD as a major player for the 2021 local government elections and are a clear indication of political shifts taking place.
At less than 2 years old GOOD has outperformed all of the established players. Our task remains to continue to build this movement as the real alternative to the same old broken promises and failing services.