Deputy Speaker, this House should take note of the outcome of various by-elections contested in the Western Cape on 14 October 2009, more specifically the contest in ward 11 within the Breede Valley Municipality, with Worcester as its centre.
This is an ANC-led municipality where the lack of service delivery and sustainable job creation has frustrated the community for quite some time. Since 2000, ward 11 was always held by the ANC, although it may have been by a small margin in 2006.
Hierdie wyk is verlede week gemaklik gewen deur die DA en sy kandidaat, mnr Alver Uys, teen veral die ANC. Hierdie oorwinning is 'n geval waar die DA- verteenwoordigers deurentyd betrokke was by die kommer van die inwoners op 'n opregte en eerlike wyse, waarna veral verteenwoordigers vanuit hierdie gemeenskap 'n beduidende rol gespeel het in die oorwinning van die DA. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[This ward was won with ease from the ANC in particular by the DA and its candidate, Mr Alver Uys. This victory is a case of DA representatives having been constantly involved in an honest and fair manner with the residents' concerns, after which representatives from this community in particular played a significant role in the victory by the DA.]
This triumph was by the people, for the people.
Sonder om enigsins gebruik te maak van 'n "rent-a-crowd" soos die ander partye, dui die sege op 'n waterskeiding wat die DA die ooglopende alternatief vir die ANC-onderprestasies op die Wes-Kaapse platteland maak en bou dit voort op die tendens van die DA-steun in die April 2009 verkiesing.
Toenemende steun vir die DA se oopgeleentheid-samelewing-beginsels en die groter ontgogeling van die swak prestasie van die ANC blyk aan die orde van die dag te wees. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Having not made use of a rent-a-crowd, unlike the other parties, this victory points towards a watershed which has made the DA the obvious alternative to the ANC's dismal performance in the rural Western Cape, building on the trend of support for the DA in the April 2009 election.
Increased support for the DA's principle of an open opportunity society and the bigger disillusionment caused by the ANC's poor performance seem to be the order of the day. I thank you. [Applause.]]