ANC wins Bela-Bela local municipality by-election

The ANC in Limpopo is gunning for municipalities governed by a coalition of the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance in the province, after the party won a by-election at the Bela-Bela local municipality the past weekend.

The municipality is run by the ANC but the ward in which the by-election took place was previously held by the DA.

The weekend victory has brought to 10 the total number of seats for the ANC in a municipality that has 17 seats.

“It was a walk in the park for the ANC,” Limpopo ANC provincial spokesperson Donald Selamolela said yesterday.

The weekend victory was a barometer for the ANC to check if people still believed in the party.

“Now we know that our people were angry when they elected the DA or the EFF at the previous polls. They used protest votes to demonstrate their anger and their ploy worked,” Selamolela said. “But the ANC is now going to do things differently.

“We are going to make sure we are visible on every street corner, visit every house and participate in every community structure,” he said. “We are going to start with house-to-house visits, and visit every municipality to check the rate of service delivery and rectify where possible.

“We are going to work tirelessly with all we have to make sure that all our people enjoy what the ANC preaches – a better life for all.”

But that could only be realised if people vote for the ANC, Selamolela said.

“We have a new leadership elected a month ago,” said Steven Maloabotsheba, who led the recruitment drive at the weekend.

“Under the leadership of provincial organiser Joshua Matlou and secretary Soviet Lekganyane, we believe we have the ability to bring back those who left the ANC under a storm, including all those who were angry at the time.”

In January, ANC deputy president David Dabede Mabuza accused the ANC in Limpopo of sleeping on the job and losing touch with the electorate, leaving the EFF and the DA to snatch Thabazimbi and Modimolle/ Mookgophong municipalities from right under its nose.

Mabuza said Limpopo used to be the home of the ANC.

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