Limpopo delivers big win for ANC, defying expectations

When Limpopo’s two most famous current political sons – President Cyril Ramaphosa and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema – did battle in the 2024 elections, many believed it would be a close-run race – but the province delivered the biggest triumph for the ruling party.

Limpopo saw just under 74% of votes cast going to the ANC – in contrast to the other provinces where the party won the highest number of votes.

In the Eastern Cape, the ANC share was 62%, in the North West 59%, Free State 53%, and Mpumalanga 52%, while the Northern Cape produced 49%. In Gauteng, the ANC got just 36%, and an even lower 19.79% in the Western Cape.

How ANC won Limpopo

The Limpopo victory, say ANC leaders and members, is down to a number of factors.

Firstly, Ramaphosa spent time there on the campaign trail earlier this year, telling organisers he expected at least 80% for the ANC.

Secondly, the province has always been one of the strongest for the ANC because of the unbroken political ties Limpopo always had with past and present ANC leaders, such as Nelson Mandela and Ramaphosa.

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Finally, while born in Soweto, his roots are in the province.

“You must remember, Matamela’s (Ramaphosa) parents come from here and that Limpopo has from the days of the liberation struggle been called the province of Mandela and the home of the ANC,” said ANC veteran and liberation struggle hero Tshenuwani Farisani.

“He did his Grade 11 and 12 at Mphaphuli Secondary School in Sibasa, outside Thohoyandou. At the time of his schooling, Matamela’s parents had already moved to Chiawelo in Soweto.

“When he went to Johannesburg to join his parents, he had already made political and religious friends in the province. That is why his friends, former scholars and Christians supported him before, during and after polls, and that will never change.”

Farisani said the same goes for Mandela. “We met often in exile in the continent and beyond the province’s borders. He had facilitated the coming back of many of his comrades to SA. He organised food, clothes and passports for them, and I am no exception.”

Malema played down the EFF’s showing

Malema played down the EFF’s showing in the province, focusing instead on the ANC, remarking that the failure by the ANC to produce more than 50% of votes at the national polls was a sign the party was going to be eaten piece by piece in the future.

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The writing for the EFF was on the wall in Limpopo before the elections when the ANC welcomed more than 200 disillusioned EFF members back to its ranks.

Former EFF provincial leader Jossey Buthane was the first to call it quits. He was followed by many others, mostly from Sekhukhune, to join the ANC.

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which ousted the EFF to become the third biggest political party in the country, got just one percent in Limpopo – ironically having given the Limpopo ANC some sleepless nights.

The situation became even more real after famous TV personality, musician and ANC bigwig, Papa Penny, defected to the MK a week before the elections.

MK ‘non-existent’ in Limpopo

Limpopo ANC spokesperson Mathole Machaka said the result showed “the MK party is non-existent” in the province. “They had three failed rallies in the province. Our people love the ANC and will continue to do so.”