Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has unveiled the party’s plan to overhaul municipalities ahead of the 4 November Local Government Elections, promising improved service delivery, cleaner governance and greater accountability.
Speaking at the DA’s manifesto launch on Saturday, Hill-Lewis said South Africans had heard enough political promises and needed a government that could deliver basic services consistently.
He said the party’s campaign would be centred on the belief that “an ordinary life should not be a privilege”.
“South Africans have heard enough promises. What they now need is a government that works,” Hill-Lewis said.
The DA’s plan, titled Working for All, focuses on three key guarantees: a government people can trust, reliable services and communities where residents can get ahead.
Hill-Lewis said DA-run municipalities would end cadre deployment and ensure that municipal positions were filled by competent professionals rather than politically connected individuals.
“Engineers must manage infrastructure. Honest professionals must run administrations. And when officials steal, waste money or fail through gross negligence, there must be consequences,” he said.
He also pledged greater transparency in municipal procurement and improvements to billing systems.
On service delivery, Hill-Lewis announced that every rand collected for water in DA-run municipalities would be protected for water-related services, while electricity revenue would similarly be reinvested in electricity infrastructure.
“Your money will no longer be treated as a political slush fund. It must be used to repair pipes, maintain substations and replace cables,” he said.
The DA leader also promised to use technology to identify water leaks, illegal connections and failing infrastructure before they become major problems.
Hill-Lewis said the party would also support the restoration of public facilities, including parks, libraries, clinics, swimming pools and sports facilities, through partnerships with communities and responsible businesses.
The third pillar of the DA’s plan focuses on economic opportunities and community safety.
Hill-Lewis said the party would reduce red tape for businesses and entrepreneurs, simplify permits for informal traders and provide safe, serviced trading spaces.
He also called for greater policing powers for capable municipalities, including the ability of municipal police forces to investigate crime.
“When you walk home at night, you must know that your government is on your side — not the criminal’s,” he said.
Hill-Lewis pointed to DA-run municipalities such as Midvaal, Kouga, Swartland, Saldanha Bay and the City of Cape Town as examples of what the party says can be achieved through “clean government, capable people and disciplined financial management”.
He contrasted Midvaal with neighbouring Johannesburg and Emfuleni, describing the latter two as examples of municipalities affected by poor governance.
“We are not guessing about how to fix municipalities. We have done it. We are doing it. And we will do it where you live,” Hill-Lewis said.
He also highlighted the recent Ward 28 by-election in Emfuleni, where the DA won by eight votes, saying the result demonstrated the importance of every vote.
Hill-Lewis said the DA would govern for all residents regardless of their political affiliation.
“A DA government does not ask who you voted for before it fixes your street. We govern for everyone. That is our promise,” he said.
As part of its election message, the DA is urging voters to support the party on 4 November, with Hill-Lewis linking the vote to basic municipal services.
“Vote for your taps to run. Vote for your streetlights to shine. Vote for your bins to be emptied. Vote for the criminal to be caught and convicted,” he said.
He said the party would seek to “fix what is broken” and restore hope in South Africa’s municipalities.
“We love our country, and we will build a South Africa that works, for everyone,” Hill-Lewis said.
