2019 Western Cape provincial election

8 May 2019
All 42 seats to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament 22 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	66.28% 6.48%
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Alan Winde Cameron Dugmore [n 1] Melikhaya Xego Party Democratic Alliance ANC EFF Last election 59.38% 32.89% 2.11% Seats before 26 14 1 Seats won 24 12 2 Seat change 2 2 1 Popular vote 1,140,647 589,055 83,075 Percentage 55.45% 28.64% 4.04% Swing 3.93% 4.25% 1.93%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Candidate Patricia de Lille Ferlon Christians Peter Marais Party Good African Christian Democratic Party Freedom Front Plus Last election (New party) 1.02% 0.55% Seats before 0 1 0 Seats won 1 1 1 Seat change 1 0 1 Popular vote 61,971 54,762 32,115 Percentage 3.01% 2.66% 1.56% Swing 3.01% 1.64% 1.01%
Premier before election Helen Zille Democratic Alliance Elected Premier Alan Winde Democratic Alliance

The 2019 Western Cape provincial election was held on 8 May 2019 to elect the 6th Western Cape Provincial Parliament. It was the sixth provincial election held since the establishment of the provincial legislature in 1994.

Incumbent premier Helen Zille of the Democratic Alliance (DA) was term-limited and could not seek a third term. The party nominated Alan Winde to succeed her.^[1][2]

The provincial election was won by the ruling Democratic Alliance (DA), but with a reduced majority of 55.45%, down from 59.38% in the 2014 election. The party lost two seats and achieved a majority of 24 seats in the legislature. The Official Opposition African National Congress (ANC) declined from 32.89% to 28.64%, and also lost two seats. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) significantly grew, going from 2.11% to 4.04%, and, consequently, gained one seat. The newly-formed Good received 3.11% of the vote and won a seat. The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) grew to 2.66% and retained its sole seat. The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and Al Jama-ah also won one seat each.

Background

The 2014 provincial election resulted in the continuation of the incumbent Democratic Alliance provincial government headed by Helen Zille. This would be Zille's second and final term as Premier of the Western Cape. The party increased its seat total from 22 to 26 seats. The African National Congress with Marius Fransman remained the Official Opposition with 14 seats. The newly-formed Economic Freedom Fighters became the third largest party with only one seat. The African Christian Democratic Party retained its sole seat.^[3][4]

On 18 April 2015, incumbent Democratic Alliance Provincial Leader Ivan Meyer announced that he would not seek re-election. Mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lille was elected as his successor.^[5][6][7]

In January 2016, allegations of sexual harassment were made against African National Congress Provincial Chairperson Marius Fransman by his former assistant, Louisa Wynand. The party named Khaya Magaxa as his acting successor. Fransman was suspended as Provincial Chairperson in February 2016, and expelled from the African National Congress in November 2016.^[8][9]

In February 2017, Patricia de Lille resigned as Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance in order to focus on her mayorship. Deputy Provincial Leader Bonginkosi Madikizela was designated as the interim leader of the party. Madikizela was later elected to a full term in October 2017.^{[10][11][12][13]}

Throughout 2017 and 2018, the Democratic Alliance accused Patricia de Lille of maladministration and covering up corruption in the City of Cape Town. She strongly denied these allegations.^[14][15][16]

In April 2018, former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool was announced as the head of the ANC’s Western Cape elections campaign.^[17]

In August 2018, Patricia de Lille announced that she would resign as Mayor of Cape Town, effective on 31 October 2018.^[18][19]

In September 2018, The Democratic Alliance selected Alan Winde as the party's Western Cape Premier candidate.^[20]

In October 2018, Patricia de Lille resigned as both Mayor of Cape Town and member of the Democratic Alliance. She was succeeded by her predecessor, Dan Plato. She subsequently founded a new political party named Good in December 2018. The party contested the 2019 elections both nationally and provincially.^[21][22]

On 6 November 2018, former Provincial Minister of Community Safety Dan Plato was elected Mayor of Cape Town on 6 November 2018 during a special council sitting, receiving 146 out of 202 valid votes. Six ballots were spoilt. The vote was held via secret ballot. His main challengers were Xolani Sotashe from the African National Congress and Grant Haskin from the African Christian Democratic Party. Sotashe received 53 votes while Haskin got 3 votes.^[23]

On 22 January 2019, the Freedom Front Plus announced that it had selected former Premier of the Western Cape and Mayor of Cape Town, Peter Marais, as its party premier candidate.^[24][25]

Contesting parties and premier candidates

This is a list of political parties that the IEC presented on 20 March 2019 in the order that they appeared on the provincial ballot:^[26]

Opinion polling

Footnotes

Results

Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Democratic Alliance	1,140,647	55.45	–3.93	24	–2
	African National Congress	589,055	28.63	–4.25	12	–2
	Economic Freedom Fighters	83,075	4.04	+1.93	2	+1
	Good	61,971	3.01	New	1	New
	African Christian Democratic Party	54,762	2.66	+1.64	1	0
	Freedom Front Plus	32,115	1.56	+1.01	1	+1
	Al Jama-ah	17,607	0.86	+0.24	1	+1
	Independent Civic Organisation	9,536	0.46	–0.10	0	0
	Cape Party	9,331	0.45	New	0	New
	Congress of the People	6,528	0.32	–0.27	0	0
	Alliance for Transformation for All	6,175	0.30	New	0	New
	Land Party	5,926	0.29	New	0	New
	United Democratic Movement	5,728	0.28	–0.20	0	0
	African Transformation Movement	4,953	0.24	New	0	New
	Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners	3,852	0.19	New	0	New
	Pan Africanist Congress	3,845	0.19	+0.02	0	0
	Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party	3,026	0.15	New	0	New
	African Independent Congress	2,898	0.14	–0.17	0	0
	Green Party	2,613	0.13	New	0	New
	National Freedom Party	2,240	0.11	+0.07	0	0
	Khoisan Revolution	1,854	0.09	New	0	New
	Dienslewerings Party	1,703	0.08	New	0	New
	Karoo Democratic Force	1,512	0.07	New	0	New
	African Covenant	993	0.05	New	0	New
	African People's Convention	915	0.04	–0.02	0	0
	People's Republic of South Africa	710	0.03	New	0	New
	Inkatha Freedom Party	599	0.03	–0.02	0	0
	All Things Are Possible	556	0.03	New	0	New
	African Progressive Movement	531	0.03	New	0	New
	Azanian People's Organisation	475	0.02	–0.02	0	0
	Free Democrats	470	0.02	New	0	New
	New South Africa Party	444	0.02	New	0	New
	Forum for Service Delivery	310	0.02	New	0	New
	African Content Movement	257	0.01	New	0	New
Total		2,057,212	100.00	–	42	–
Valid votes		2,057,212	99.20
Invalid/blank votes		16,516	0.80
Total votes		2,073,728	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		3,128,567	66.28
Source: Election Resources

References