By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has won two wards in Ditsobotla Local Municipality, North West.
EFF won Ward 19 (Springbokpan Welverdiend) and Ward 14 (Bodibe Ditlhwaneng) in Ditsobotla respectively.
Residents were out in numbers, standing in snaking queues to cast their votes in the by-election. But casting their votes wasn’t their first priority – many were queueing for water.
The densely populated Boikhutso township was host to a number of voting stations. Most residents work in the nearby town of Lichtenburg, the seat of the Ditsobotla municipality.
The Independent Electoral Commission is today expected to announce official results of the by-elections held yesterday in Ditsobotla.
EFF shock ANC in an ANC rural stronghold -Ward 19 (Springbokpan Welverdiend) in Ditsobotla. EFF 39% (15%) ANC 36% (66%) PA 16%. This ward comprises the farms west of Lichtenburg, towards Biesiesvlei. The EFF have now taken 2 seats off the ANC.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) December 15, 2022
EFF take Ward 14 (Bodibe Ditlhwaneng) off the ANC. EFF 46% (27%) ANC 31% (52%) F4SD 15% (4%). Poll 37% (25%). Big win for the EFF in the important Bodibe area.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) December 15, 2022
ANC infighting and factionalism saw the municipality having two parallel councils – each with its own mayor, speaker and chief whip.
At the receiving end were residents who were left out as delivery of services ground to a halt. This even led to milk and cheese manufacturer Clover relocating its Lichtenburg factory to KwaZulu-Natal.
On 14 September, the Ditsobotla council was dissolved following a decision by the North West executive committee to place the municipality under administration.
According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), 20 ward seats were up for grabs in Wednesday’s by-election.
In last year’s election, the ANC won by 52 votes. After a year of little to no service delivery, the governing party will likely have less than 50% of the vote.
Other parties including Forum for Service Delivery (F4SD), Patriotic Alliance (PA), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Pan Africanis Congress (PAC) and the FF Plus are also out to try to win over voters.