Johannesburg – Thousands of Democratic Alliance members gathered at Freedom Park on Tuesday to celebrate the party’s election victory in Tshwane.
The party obtained 43.15 percent of the vote and 93 seats, compared to the ANC’s 41.22 percent and 89 seats.
As the DA did not secure an outright majority, it must now form a coalition in order to run the metro.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said the party had started to get smaller parties on board for a coalition.
Until last week, the capital was governed by the ANC. In the run-up to the vote it saw violent protests as members went on the rampage to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the nomination of Thoko Didiza as their mayoral candidate.
The unrest left five people dead and saw thousands of shops looted.
Lehlogonolo Kunene, 34, from Mamelodi who came with his three-year-old son said he was excited over DA’s win. “I’m very happy that we have won, I have hope that the DA will deliver as promised. We gave the ANC a chance and they failed us, we don’t trust them anymore,” he said.
Members danced, blew whistles and sang songs praising the mayoral candidate Solly Msimanga while they waited for him to come and address them.
African News Agency (ANA)