KZN is ready to become a province that works

Statement by Geordin Hill-Lewis – Leader of the Democratic Alliance:

KwaZulu-Natal is one of the most beautiful provinces in our country.

It is a province of extraordinary history, deep community life, enormous economic potential, and some of the most resilient people anywhere in South Africa.

But it is also a province that knows hardship. It knows what it means when infrastructure fails, when criminals terrorise communities, when corruption hollows out public institutions, and when people lose faith that government can work.

That is why the DA’s task in KwaZulu-Natal is not merely to be a strong opposition party.

Our task now is bigger than opposition.

Our task is to become the governing alternative in this province: a party that can win, govern, work with others where necessary, and remain principled, disciplined, and clear about what it stands for.

On 4 November 2026, South Africans will vote in the local government elections. That election will decide whether broken municipalities continue to decline, or whether residents get working streetlights, clean water, reliable refuse removal, safer communities, better roads, and municipalities that answer when people call.

The DA calls on every South African who wants change to register, check their registration status, and make sure they are ready to vote in 2026.

A country is rebuilt from the ground up. In the towns, cities, villages and communities where people live their lives. It is rebuilt in our municipalities.

Here in KZN, the DA must be ambitious.

The DA must retain and grow where we already govern.

We must show that uMngeni is not an exception, but a beginning. uMngeni is proof that the DA can govern in KwaZulu-Natal and govern well.

But we must not stop there.

We must fight for Durban. Durban should be one of the great cities of Africa: a city of growth, tourism, trade, port-led development, clean beaches, reliable services, safe communities, and pride.

Durban does not need another empty promise. Durban needs to move forward.

The DA must say clearly to the people of eThekwini that this city can work. Your beaches can be clean, your taps can run reliably, and your streets can be safe.

And we have shown that the DA governs well for all.

Not for some.

Not for one community.

Not for one race.

Not for one class.

For all.

This means delivering services reliably, spending public money honestly, fixing what is broken, and putting residents before politicians.

It means clean audits, but also clean streets. It means good budgets, but also good lives.

But governing well is only the beginning. We must also connect more deeply with South Africans who have never voted for us before.

We must listen, be present, and build trust street by street, ward by ward, household by household.

And when we do win, we must show strength and principle in government.

Where we govern in coalitions, we must be constructive but never weak, cooperative but never captured, practical but never unprincipled.

That is why we will not tolerate a broken police system. South Africans cannot be free if they are not safe.

We must give capable governments investigative powers, strengthen crime intelligence, and get corrupt cops out of SAPS.

We must get the criminals out of SAPS, so SAPS can get the criminals off the streets.

KwaZulu-Natal can change.

Durban can work.

South Africa is not beyond saving.