The DA in Nelson Mandela Bay has welcomed more than 200 defectors from the ANC, Cope and Agang in a mass walk-over on Tuesday.
Most of those who crossed over arrived at the Khayamnandi Community Hall in Despatch dressed in the colours of their former parties.
Some ANC defectors wore T-shirts bearing the face of party president Jacob Zuma.
One former ANC supporter, Johnson Dubase, alleged that the ruling party had lied to the people.
"The reason why I left the ANC, those people they lied to us so I decided to join the DA. The people are convincing us the right way. The leaders of the DA are good," he said.
An elderly woman who lost a son during the struggle said she had been promised compensation but had recevied nothing.
Speaking via an interpreter, Cekize Evelyn Jack, explains why she moved over the DA.
"She saw that the DA cares and loves them and the DA does not only fight for DA people they fight for everyone in the country. They fight for the rights of everyone regardless of which party they come from that's why she joined the DA."
DA mayoral candidate for the Metro, Atholl Trollip said that "many of those present today told me that they have had enough of the ANC-led government and that Mayor Danny Jordaan has made no real changes in their lives. The Uitenhage, KwaNobuhle, Despatch, Daleview and Khayamnandi areas are some of the most neglected in the Metro."
"Today's mass-walkover to the DA shows that momentum is building behind the DA toward Election 2016," Trollip said.
Defectors to the DA wear their former party colours for the last time.
