‘Early Christmas present’ for ANC

Christmas came early for the ANC in Limpopo after the party snatched a seat away from the EFF during the highly contested by-elections in the Elias Motsoaledi local municipality on Wednesday.

The by-elections were the last in Limpopo this year, with elated party members calling the victory an early Christmas present for the ANC.

Limpopo Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officer Nkaro Mateta said a total of 4 339 people had registered to vote.

4 339 people registered

The elections were held in ward 30 in Roossenekal Township, outside the platinum mining town of Burgersfort.

The ward was held by the EFF and a vacant seat was created after a councillor from the red berets was recalled.

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The elections were contested by seven political parties, including the ANC, EFF, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, the Bolsheviks party of South Africa, the Movement for African Convention, Truth and Solidarity Movement and Sameba party.

Elias Motsoaledi municipality spokesperson Simon Makua said before the Wednesday by-elections, the council comprised eight political parties.

These, he said, were the ANC with 36 seats, EFF with 13 seats, DA with four seats, two for the Bolsheviks, two for Mpumalanga party, one for Answer for the Community, one for Dennilton Residents Association and one for the Freedom Front Plus.

ANC with 36 seats, EFF with 13 and DA with four

Makua said the municipality has 31 wards with the municipal council comprising of 61 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Of the 61 councillors, 55 are parttime councillors and six full-time.

The Wednesday by-election results were computed and announced by the Limpopo IEC as follows:

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The ANC got 71%, up from 37%, the EFF got 22%, down from 47%, MK party contested the elections for the first time since its formation this year and got six percent, Movement for African Convention, Truth and the Bolsheviks political parties each got one percent.

ANC Limpopo spokesperson Mathole Machaka said the party’s achievement in Sekhukhune’s Elias Motsoaledi municipality was significant as it proved a decisive win against the EFF, which won the ward in the last municipal polls.

“This victory is a powerful demonstration of the communities’ confidence in the ANC,” said Machaka.

Confidence in ANC

“It shows that the ANC has the necessary strength and trust from members of the public to render basic services to communities and the know-how to build a strong local government that is capable of discharging optimum service delivery mandates as expected by the electorates.

“We therefore call upon all communities to work with the ANC to reclaim the lost ground and work together toward a goal of a better life for all.”

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