Political Pledges Made During Gelvan Park March
The Democratic Alliance (DA) announced on Friday that it intends to double the number of metro police officers in Gqeberha within one year if residents vote for the party in the upcoming November elections. The commitment was delivered during an anti-crime march held in the suburb of Gelvan Park, an area the party described as crime-riddled.
During the event, which involved painting parts of the suburb blue to symbolize party support, the DA outlined a broader platform focused on law enforcement. Party representatives pledged to apprehend criminals, clean up affected areas, and secure convictions for those found guilty of crimes. The march served as a central component of the party's strategy to highlight public safety issues in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Geordin Hill-Lewis, the leader of the DA in the region, emphasized that the current administrative structure hinders effective crime management. He stated that the city cannot overcome its crime problems while the national police ministry is led by an acting police minister. Hill-Lewis noted that Senzo Mchunu has been on paid leave for almost a year, leaving the ministry without permanent leadership.
Resource Constraints in Nelson Mandela Bay
The DA highlighted specific data regarding the current state of law enforcement resources in Gqeberha. The party stated that the Nelson Mandela Bay metro police force currently consists of just over 120 officers. According to the DA, this number is severely under-resourced given that the municipality serves a population exceeding one million residents.
The party argued that this disparity between officer numbers and population size prevents the metro police from effectively addressing crime issues across the city. The announcement comes as part of a broader effort by the DA to regain political control in the region. The party lost its governing coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay in 2023 and has since initiated a major drive to wrest back control ahead of the November elections.
Timing of the Announcement
The pledge was made public on Friday, with reports published by EWN on August 13, 2026. The article titled "DA vows to double Gqeberha’s metro police within a year if residents vote for the party" detailed the specific numbers cited by the party leadership.
The DA's focus on the metro police force is part of its wider campaign timeline. Previous reports from July 10, 2026, indicated ongoing discussions about crime and policing in Cape Town and surrounding areas. The current push in Gqeberha aligns with these earlier efforts to position the party as a primary advocate for increased security resources.
Opposition and Administrative Criticism
In addition to promising increased staffing, the DA criticized the current national government's handling of police affairs. By pointing to the extended leave of the permanent police minister, the party suggested that the lack of a confirmed leader contributes to operational challenges in cities like Gqeberha.
The party did not provide independent verification of the impact of the acting minister’s absence on local crime statistics during the march. However, Hill-Lewis explicitly linked the administrative vacancy to the city's inability to solve its crime problems. The DA framed the proposed doubling of officers as a direct solution to the resource gap identified in their report.
Electoral Context
The promise is tied directly to the outcome of the November elections. The DA’s statement conditioned the implementation of the policy on winning voter support. This approach mirrors previous electoral strategies where specific service delivery promises were used to appeal to residents concerned about safety.
No response from the current governing coalition or the acting police minister was included in the reports regarding this specific pledge. The article focuses solely on the DA’s stated intentions and the data they presented during the Gelvan Park event.