DA targets stronger LGE performance with nationwide branch rollout

Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Chairperson Solly Msimanga says the party has built branches in every community in an attempt to improve its fortunes in the November Local Government Elections (LGE).

Msimanga was speaking to SABC News outside the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility in Pretoria, where the party concluded its march against Gender-based Violence (GBV).

He says the DA now has a permanent presence in communities across the country.

“The difference is that the DA has now built branches in every single community. We now have permanent visibility. We now have a candidate in every ward of South Africa. Every single ward is going to have a DA representative to make sure that we are able to attract and communicate with so many people that they can ultimately come and vote for the DA government. We’re hoping that we will be able to give the people of South Africa a government that works, a government that is able to attract investment so that we are able to give people a dignified life going forward,” says Msimanga.

PICTURES | The Democratic Alliance embarks on major march against GBVF in the street of Pretoria.

Credit: Ntlantla Kgatlhane https://t.co/caRnIxMQal

— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 8, 2026

The party says its will not negotiate with political parties that it says perpetuate racial politics, divisions or lawlessness when it comes to coalitions.

Msimanga says he will lead the team negotiating with potential coalition partners on behalf of the DA.

“I will be leading a team that will be negotiating from a DA perspective and we are not closing anybody out, but what I will not do is to negotiate with people who want to perpetuate racial politics that want to perpetuate divisions or lawlessness. We cannot be part of anybody that wants to talk to us. We will talk to them if we agree on the rule of law, if we agree on putting services at the centre of what we do. We ultimately want to talk about how we get the economy going in our communities and kick out corruption in government,” he adds.

Advice won’t make our streets safer. That is why we are taking action!🗣️

See DA leadership marching to Kgoši Mampuru prison because justice can only be achieved when the criminals are locked up.🚔

We need a criminal justice system that catches abusers, secures convictions and cleans up the failures that allows offendors to remain on our streets.⚖️

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— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) October 8, 2026