In yet an additional heavy blow to the DA/ID coalition, another senior councillor left that sinking ship to work for a truly better life for all under the ANC. Mr. Basil Petrus, mayor of George, has decided not to follow ID leader Patricia de Lille into the DA.

Matzikama Speaker David Jenner also left the DA/ID coalition last week to join the ANC. Both cited cultural and other irreconcilable differences with the neoliberal DA for their leaving.

They are but a few in a stream of councillors, members and supporters who are coming to the ANC. This includes former MEC Sakkie Jenner who served as the sole ID representative in Helen Zille's provincial cabinet, but did not see a future with either Zille or her DA.

In Oudtshoorn Gordon April and Jurie Harmse resigned their wards to join the ANC and in the by-election the ANC was victorious in both wards. In Bot River ward councillor James Pfeiffer also left the ID.

In Scottsdene, Kraaifontein, the branch chairperson Caroline Hendriks and her whole group of members and supporters signed up with the ANC.

The ANC has seen a steady flow of ID, Cope and DA supporters coming to the ANC as their political home. These are leaders and people who have laid a firm foundation in communities upon which to build a local government election.

Even people, who became inactive due to the previous paralysis that took hold of the ANC in this province, are joining forces once more as volunteers to help to rebuild and rejuvenate the ANC.

The ANC is the only party that could better the lives of poor and ordinary people as the DA does not care for them and lesser parties have no real influence.

The ANC calls on all people in the province to join hands in the campaign to strengthen the ANC and to ensure that services are delivered to poor areas.

Statement issued by the ANC Western Cape, March 27 2011

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