We Commit to Peaceful, Free, and Fair Elections

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader:

Today, at the IEC’s Electoral Code of Conduct pledge ceremony in East London, I reaffirmed the Democratic Alliance’s commitment to a peaceful, free, and fair election campaign across the Eastern Cape.

On behalf of the DA in this province, I commit our candidates, public representatives, party structures, members, and campaign teams to upholding the Code of Conduct. We call on our supporters to honour these same principles throughout the campaign.

Every resident has the right to make their political choices freely, attend political meetings, express their views, and cast their vote without fear, intimidation, or coercion.

The DA will campaign vigorously on our record, our policies, and our plans to get municipalities working for all. We will respect the right of every other party and candidate to campaign freely and will condemn political violence, threats, and the destruction of campaign materials, regardless of who is responsible.

We also commit to respecting media freedom and ensuring that journalists can cover our public political events without harassment or intimidation.

The DA will cooperate with the IEC, comply with its lawful directions, and pursue electoral complaints and disputes through the appropriate legal channels. We will hold our own representatives accountable for breaches of the Code and expect consistent enforcement across all parties.

Signing this pledge carries a responsibility to uphold it in every community and throughout every stage of the election.

We call on every contesting party and candidate to honour this commitment in practice. The choice belongs to the voters, and their freedom to exercise it must be protected.