Ngiyabonga, Sihlalo. [Thank you, Chairperson.] Yesterday the DA won two by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal significantly increasing its percentage of votes. The results constitute yet further evidence that the DA is the only viable and growing alternative to the ANC. In the Scottburgh by-election the DA won with 886 votes or you may say 58% of all votes cast. This is 5% more than what the DA got in 2006. The ANC was beaten to second place with 36%.
In the Pennington by-election the DA won with 860 votes or you may say 63% of all votes cast; 6% more than what the DA received in 2006. Again, the ANC was beaten into second place with 24% of the votes.
It is still some time before the 2009 general election, but already we can see that the DA is starting to build up some momentum as it strengthens its position as the second largest party in South Africa, and more and more people endorse its alternative vision of an open opportunity society for all South Africans and reject the ANC's closed patronising society that only ever benefits an elite few. Thank you. [Applause.]