 Owing to its modest growth in the rest of South Africa, however, the newly formed Congress of the People (COPE) overtook the DA as official opposition in several provinces.The DA consolidated its dominance in the Western Cape during the 2011 municipal elections, aided in part by a merger agreement with the Independent Democrats; DA won control of two thirds of the councils in the province.The party also improved its position in the rest of the country, made easier by the sharp decline of COPE following internal leadership disputes.