ID WESTERN CAPE WINS 5 BY-ELECTIONS

MP Sakkie Jenner, the ID Western Cape Provincial Chairperson, has confirmed that the Independent Democrats has won 5 by-elections in the Western Cape, ‘with the rest of the wards we participated in showing significant increases in the percentage support for our party.

‘This is a sign of things to come in the Western Cape next year, where the ANC will no longer pose a threat to us,' Mr Jenner says.

Perhaps the most successful victory against the ANC was in Drakenstein, where the ID and the DA won two wards each, with ‘COPE' winning the fifth, which means that power in Paarl can be wrested from the hands of the ANC.

‘This change of power in the Western Cape's second biggest municipality will serve as more confirmation that the ANC has no chance of governing the Western Cape next year,' says Jenner.

Besides ward 7 (Wellington) and 30 in Drakenstein (Saron), the ID now has ward councilors in Matsikama's ward 2 (Doringbaai, Ebenhaezer and Lutzville West), Cedarburg's ward 3 (Clanwilliam) and in Tierwaterskloof (Botrivier).

‘There can be no doubt that the ID has set a trend - where we have not won by-elections we have shown increased support, where in many areas our percentage of the vote has doubled and even tripled,' says Jenner.

‘These by-elections were seen by many analysts as a real test of the ID's strength and once again we have proved that through grassroots work in our communities all year round, we are able to attract large numbers of ordinary South Africans that support our policies and principles.'

Statement issued by the Independent Democrats December 11 2008