Cupido Return Adds Intrigue To DA’s Buffalo City Strategy As Poll Puts Party Ahead Of Rivals

The Democratic Alliance is facing a political dilemma in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality after recent poll placed it ahead of the ANC and EFF, despite the party’s decision not to name a mayoral candidate in the metro.

Ipsos is polling the DA at 33%, narrowly ahead of the ANC on 29% and the EFF on 27%, raising questions whether the party has leveraged all available opportunities to benefit optimally ahead of the November 4 polls. Ipsos has, however, cautioned that its findings should be interpreted with care because of the relatively small sample size for the metro.

Political analyst, Dr Ongama Mtimka, described the party's decision not to name a mayoral candidate as a possible misstep, arguing that while it may not significantly hurt the DA’s electoral performance, it could affect how the party seeks to convert its support into control of the metro.

Mtimka, who is attached to the Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, reckons the Ipsos polling percentages could be close to the eventual outcome of the local government elections in the Buffalo City Metro. He said the Ipsos projections were consistent with the ANC’s decline in major towns across the Eastern Cape, including some of the province’s more rural areas, but said the extent of the decline in Buffalo City would be particularly striking if reflected in the election results.

“The rise of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) does, however, help explain the scale of the loss,” said Mtimka.

“I suppose they (DA) are relying on the strength of the brand of the party, but it is telling that, out of all the metropolitan municipalities, they chose not to use the skills and potential of an established political leader to further bolster their campaign in Buffalo City,” he said.

Despite not naming a mayoral candidate, the party may yet have an ace up its sleeve. Local KuGompo City businessman, John Cupido, took many outsiders by surprise when his name appeared on top of the list of the DA's candidates for BCMM. Cupido is returning to active politics and public office after spending the past couple of years working for his family businesses. He is a former councillor in BCM, Member of the Provincial Legislature and a former provincial leader of the DA Youth in the Eastern Cape.

His return to politics is raising eyebrows with many believing that he is being positioned to play a much bigger role in the party, and in council, after the elections.

DA constituency leader in Buffalo City, Leander Kruger said the Ipsos poll was a welcome indicator of the party’s growth strategy and its efforts on the ground in communities across the metro. He said the party had based its strategy on growth, consolidating its support in areas where it already had a strong presence while expanding into new communities across Buffalo City.

“The decision not to run our campaign around a mayoral candidate is by no means an indicator of less effort, but rather a different approach towards growth and setting ourselves up for successive election cycles,” said Kruger.

He said that, should the results necessitate a coalition government, the DA would assess the possible permutations and whether it could put together a stable coalition capable of delivering services to residents.

“The only thing worse than not being in government is to be in government and govern badly – an unstable and ineffective coalition would not be in the best interest of residents,” said Kruger.

Mtimka said he had previously thought the ANC would have one last chance at securing a majority in Buffalo City, even if it only scraped through with a vote in the 50-something-percent range.

“That it is polling around 29%, far below Nelson Mandela Bay, is a notable turn of events, especially given Buffalo City’s demographics. It may well be that the eventual results in Buffalo City come close to the latest Ipsos poll,” he said.

Mtimka said it was not too late for the DA to decide what to do with Buffalo City, even after the elections. “Our local government system is hybrid, combining constituency and PR seats, and the DA tends to gain more of the PR seats,” he said.

A deep bench beneath the DA’s mayoral silence

While the Democratic Alliance has opted not to name a mayoral candidate for Buffalo City, there is no shortage of political experience and talent within its council caucus.

The caucus, led by veteran councillor Sue Bentley, has consistently put the ANC-led administration under pressure over issues affecting residents across the metro.

Bentley has been particularly vocal about the long-running land restitution struggle of the KwaNongqongqo community, whose residents were forcibly removed under apartheid-era legislation to make way for what became the Mercedes-Benz plant.

The community’s frustration with what it regards as the municipality’s mishandling of the restitution process eventually spilled onto the streets, with residents staging a protest outside Buffalo City’s City Hall. It was during one of those protests that Bentley became closely involved in the matter.

The caucus also has a younger generation of politicians making their mark. Anathi Majeke, the DA’s caucus whip and a member of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee, has emerged as one of the administration’s more persistent critics, particularly on matters of municipal accountability and financial management.

And then there is the return of a familiar face, Cupido. He brings with him more than two decades of political and business experience in the region. He first entered the Buffalo City council in 2006 and became the DA’s caucus leader in 2008 before moving to the Eastern Cape legislature in 2009.

During his time in the legislature, Cupido served on several committees, including those dealing with environmental affairs and sport, and also served as the DA’s shadow MEC for health.

In 2014, he stepped away from active DA politics to concentrate on his family business. He later became president of the Border-Kei Business Chamber, deepening his involvement in the region’s business community.

Cupido made himself available for a return to active politics in 2023. Asked why he decided to step back into the political arena, he said the mood among residents had convinced him that change was coming.

“There’s a change coming because people are unhappy with the status quo.”

Now, Cupido is back on the campaign trail as the DA’s Ward 15 councillor candidate, where he believes his previous experience in communities such as Nompumelelo gives him an understanding of both their frustrations and their expectations.

His return, he said, has also reminded him of the relationships he built during his earlier political career.

“Going back to the campaign trail has been a humbling experience, because I found out that a lot of people still remember me.”

Cupido said residents had repeatedly expressed frustration over deteriorating basic services, particularly recurring interruptions to water and electricity supplies and delays in repairing infrastructure.

“I want to work with those communities again, to make sure we can improve service delivery."

For Cupido, the challenge facing Buffalo City goes beyond individual service-delivery failures. He described the metro as having what he called a “small-town mentality”, arguing that the city needs stronger leadership and a more ambitious approach to managing its resources and planning its future.

He pointed to water losses as one of the municipality’s major challenges, citing the loss of about 40% of its potable water through leaks.

For him, leadership is ultimately about more than occupying political office.

“The mayor does not lead in a vacuum,” he said. “The mayor leads the people.”

Cupido’s return adds another layer to the DA’s Buffalo City caucus at a time when the party is under scrutiny, following the latest Ipsos polling. While the DA has not put forward a mayoral candidate, its local political machinery includes councillors with experience in municipal government, provincial politics, public-accountability structures and business.

That depth could become increasingly important as the party heads towards the local government elections and seeks to translate dissatisfaction with the status quo into political support.