By Karabo Matalajoe
The Makana Democratic Alliance (DA) held a Public Meeting featuring Frontier Constituency Leader Jane Cowley, MPL, and Executive Mayor of Kouga Municipality, Hattingh Bornman, at the Graham Hotel this week.
The speakers shared a detailed roadmap of how the DA plans to replicate Kouga’s success in restoring governance, infrastructure, and public trust in a town shadowed by neglect.
The meeting brought together community members, activists and stakeholders to appraise Kouga’s shift from being the worst-run municipality in the Eastern Cape to an award-winning example of clean audits, water resilience and local economic growth.
Bornman’s presentation drew parallels between Makhanda and Kouga circa 2016. “We walked into a municipality where only 4% of our fleet was working. Roads were crumbling, and infrastructure was nonexistent,” he said. “But we focused on visible wins—like painting road lines, repairing potholes, and restoring basic dignity. It gave people hope.”
He further described how Kouga faced R500 million in road backlogs, mismanaged structure, political interference through municipal operations and years of underdeveloped land tied up in corruption. Despite facing challenges, through strategic appointments, discipline and transparent service delivery improvements, the DA-led municipality turned things around.
Kouga now boasts about financial stability, a clean audit report for the first time in its history, improved access to water and sanitation, and approved over a hundred new building plans.
Makana’s potential mirror
What was achieved in Kouga could be replicated in Makana; that message was clear. “We see the same symptoms here,” said Cowley. “Sewage in the streets, unreliable water, but it doesn’t have to be this way.”
The DA aims to form a majority government in Makana Municipality, emphasising that the coalitions often hamper decisive action. “It’s not arrogance,” said Bornman, “but the reality is that coalitions waste time in negotiation while residents continue to suffer.”
The party is already mobilising for the upcoming municipal elections, with a strong focus on voter registration, canvassing and deployment of credible ward candidates. Cowley also revealed that Makhanda had been chosen to pilot the DA’s first online fundraising platform, which had all funds ring-fenced for local use.
Lesson in leadership
Bornman stressed that Kouga’s turnaround was not achieved through slogans but through strategic planning, a capable team and radical transparency.
