Less than a quarter of the registered voters in Tafelsig made their mark in the Ward 82 by-election last week.
The by-election was held to fill the position of ward councillor after Sheval Arendse died in August (“Councillor dies,” Plainsman, August 21).
According to the Western Cape Electoral Commission,15941 residents were registered to vote, 3 817 voted, and only 3 783 of these votes were valid.
They were able to make their cross at 10 voting stations on Wednesday November 13.
DA candidate Washiela Harris, from Colorado Park, won with 2 422 (64.02%) votes.
A quarter of Ms Harris’s votes came from the voting station at New Tafelsig community centre, on the corner of Dolomite and Kilimanjaro roads, where she was deployed as proportional representation (PR) councillor by the DA, when Mr Arendse took ill.
Her landslide victory trumped her competitors, Good party candidate Paul Anthony Daniels, who garnered 492 votes; the African Christian Democratic Party’s (ACDP) Grant Jeremy Classen with 441 votes and independent candidate Chester Arendse with 179 votes.
Speaking to the Plainsman, Ms Harris thanked the residents of Ward 82 for putting their trust in the DA.
“After going through a panel of interviews, I was selected as the best candidate to contest the by-election on November 13.
“I am honored and humbled by the results. I have pledged allegiance to serve Ward 82 to the best of my ability.”
Ms Harris promised to always be open and transparent.
“I believe what is right can never be wrong, but what is wrong can be made right. I am appealing to the community of Ward 82 to work with me so that we can make progress possible together.”
Her office at the New Tafelsig community hall is open Monday to Thursday, from 8am until 2pm.
“I am here to serve,” said Ms Harris.