DA’s Elsie skyrockets from rookie to ringleader
DA's Elsie Vermooten applauded for signing most debit orders for party in SA.
In a political landscape often weighed down by bureaucracy, broken promises, and the occasional disappearing act, one councillor has managed to defy the odds – and perhaps even rewrite the profile of a public representative.
Elsie Vermooten, the DA’s very own whirlwind from Ward 14, has evolved from a by-election newcomer in early 2023 to what many residents are calling ‘a one-woman service delivery machine’.
Her political journey began modestly with a by-election victory in Ward 14, but what followed was anything but usual.
At the DA Federal Congress, in 2023, held at Gallagher Estate, Vermooten didn’t just attend; she made a grand entrance.
Representing Mpumalanga as the province’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony, she quite literally carried the province on her shoulders.
Bosman Grobler (Provincial DA Chairperson), Elsie Vermooten (Steve Tshwete Councillor) and Trudie Grove-Morgan (Deputy Provincial DA Leader) at the federal congress. PHOTO: Shared by the DA.
The symbolism gained substance with Vermooten walking away with the award for Best Activist that year.
Not bad for a rookie.
Vermooten is not one for resting on ceremonial laurels. She wears the DA T-shirt proudly, but it’s on the ground in Gholfsig where she makes a difference.The woman barely sleeps. She answers every single WhatsApp… day or night.
When she’s unavailable, her constituency knows who to phone in her stead because Elsie leaves no void.
The former beauty queen got even dirtier after the award, and her efforts did not go unnoticed.
At the DA Mpumalanga Provincial Congress in February 2026, she was crowned the Most Active Councillor in the province.
Nearly 110 councillors across the province entered for the award, and Vermooten not only won but lapped the field of competitors in political terms.
And then Vermooten added yet another feather to her neatly quaffed crown.
On the national stage of the DA’s Federal Congress on April 12, she was awarded for securing the most debit orders for the party across the entire country in 2024.
In a field of over 1 000 councillors, Vermooten didn’t just compete again, she won.
Colleagues describe her as tireless. Supporters call her inspiring. She has no critics.
In an era where public trust in politicians can often feel like a dwindling resource, Vermooten stands out as convincingly rare, a councillor whose actions appear to match her ambition.
Whether she’s rallying support, knocking on doors, or collecting debit orders, it’s clear that Ward 14 didn’t just elect a councillor in 2023; they elected a change-maker.
For now, though, Vermooten remains grounded in her work, continuing to serve with the same energy that launched her meteoric rise.
“A shining star? Perhaps. A beacon of hope? Unquestionably so,” DA mayoral candidate Bosman Grobler said.
