By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has picked up the same number of wards from the ANC in two weeks as it did between 2016 and 2021.A fortnight ago they won a ward in Phokwane, now in Lomanyaneng in Mafikeng, North West.
Lomanyaneng is south of the town centre of Mahikeng, the provincial capital of North West. Mahikeng is also the seat of the district municipality which includes the towns of Lichtenburg, Zeerust and Delareyville.
The EFF won the seat previously held by the ANC, with 69.06% of the votes cast compared to 54.03% the ANC received during the 2021 Municipal Elections.
The IEC said the voter turnout on Wednesday was 42.04%.
The reason for the by-election was the former councillor’s death.
During the by-elections contested yesterday in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and North West the African National Congress (ANC) retained two seats; the Democratic Alliance (DA) retained one seat and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) won one seat.
The new councillors for the ANC are Siteketiso Mathumbu, in Ward 11, in Ntabankulu Municipality.
The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections, by 78.75% of the total votes cast compared to 83.20% during the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout yesterday was 42.40%.
In Ward 20 in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Mzimkulu Morris Ngabase is the new councillor.
The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections, with 65.58% of the total votes cast compared to 73.57% during the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout yesterday was 20.56%.
The new councillor for the DA is Gé Andries Breytenbach, in Ward 96, in City of Tshwane Municipality.
The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections, by 44.89% of the votes cast compared to 53.11% during the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout yesterday was 22.91%.
The next round of by-elections will be in early June when the ANC will defend all five seats, three of them marginal. These are in Rand West City (Bekkersdal,Holomisa) in Gauteng, Kareeberg (Carnarvon) in the Northern Cape and uMvoti (Mbuba KwaZiba) in KwaZulu-Natal. There will also be a key indicator on the road to 2024 with a by-election in Soweto (Lufhereng Doornkop) in Johannesburg.