BY-ELECTIONS: ANC wins big, DA the biggest loser

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced the by-election results after voting took place across 95 municipal wards on Wednesday, with over 600,000 voters registered.

The by-elections came ahead of the local government elections, which will be held later in 2021.

Briefing the media on Thursday, IEC vice-chairperson Janet Love revealed that the overall voter turnout stood at 37.8%.

Love said the IEC was pleased with how the by-elections turned out but the commission was concerned after there disruptions occurred at two voting stations.

Residents of Naledi, in Soweto, had vowed not to participate in the by-elections, demanding that electricity be restored to their homes. They claim that they have been without electricity since 12 June

Meanwhile, Love said that the ANC retained the most wards across the country, with the DA coming in second place.

Here are the national results:

• ANC – Retained 64 wards, lost 2 wards and won 6 new wards.
• DA – Retained 14 wards, lost 9 wards and won 2 new wards
• Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) – Retained 4 wards and won 1 new ward
• The Patriotic Alliance – Won 1 new ward
• The Good Party – Won 1 new ward
• Al Jama-Ah – Won 1 new ward
• The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) – Won 1 new ward
• The National Freedom Party – Lost 1 ward
• The United Front of Civics Party – Lost 1 ward

Here is an overview of the provincial results:

Eastern Cape:

Of the 19 wards that were contested, the ANC retained 18 seats and the DA won 1 seat from the ANC in the province. Voter turnout in the province on average was 36.85%

Free State

Of the 4 wards that were contested the ANC retained 3 seats and the DA won 1 seat from the United Front of Civics Party which won that seat in by-elections held on 23 August 2017. Voter turnout in the province on average was 40.23%.

In Gauteng

Of the 14 wards that were contested the ANC retained 10 seats and won 2 seats from the DA. Al Jama-Ah won 1 seat from the DA as did the Patriotic Alliance. Voter turnout in the province on average was 24.49%

KwaZulu-Natal

Of the 12 wards that were contested the ANC retained 3 seats and won 1 seat from the National Freedom Party which won the seat in by-elections held on 21 August 2019.

The DA retained 3 seats. The IFP retained 4 and won 1 seat from the ANC. Voter turnout in the province on average was 38.87%.

Limpopo

Of the 4 wards that were contested the ANC retained all 4 seats. Voter turnout in the province on average was 41.24%.

Mpumalanga

Of the 5 wards that were contested the ANC retained 3 seats and the DA retained 2 seats. Voter turnout in the province on average was 29.94%.

North West

Of the 6 wards that were contested the ANC retained 4 seats and won 1 seat from the DA and the FF+ won 1 seat from the DA.

Voter turnout in the province on average was 34.99%

Northern Cape

Of the 20 wards that were contested the ANC retained 17 seats and won 2 seats from the DA. The DA retained 1 seat. Voter turnout in the province on average was 49.31%

Western Cape

Of the 11 wards that were contested the ANC retained 2 seats and the DA retained 8 seats. The Good Party won 1 seat from the DA. Voter turnout in the province on average was 37.60%

Results of dissolved councils:

The results of the by-elections in the two dissolved councils in the Northern Cape are as follows:

NC075 — Renosterberg:

• ANC – Won 4 seats (compared to 4 seats it won in 2016)
• DA – Won 2 seats (compared to 3 seats in 2016)
• EFF – Won 1 seat (compared to 0 seats in 2016)

NC- Phokwane:

• ANC – Won 10 seats (compared to 12 seats it won in 2016)
• EFF – Won 5 seats (compared to 3 seats in 2016)
• DA – Won 2 seats (compared to 3 seats in 2016)
• African Independent Congress – 1 seat (compared to 1 seat in 2016)
• FF+ – Won 1 seat (compared to 0 seats in 2016)

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