ANC’s resounding by-election win is strange, says political analyst

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga has described the latest by-election results as strange following the ANC’s resounding win across the country.

The ANC emerged strongly following Wednesday’s by-elections in 40 wards across seven provinces.

“It’s quite strange to see the ANC retaining seats without changing its ways in government,” Mathekga said.

“This means that poor levels of service delivery do not matter in this regard when consideration is made when voting. It says our politics are not driven by the issues but something else.”

The party lost one ward but managed to retain 27 wards and won three new wards.

This was confirmed by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in a statement on Thursday.

By-elections were held in the Eastern Cape (7 wards), Free State (2), Gauteng (16), KZN (7), Limpopo (4) and Mpumalanga (4) to replace councillors who had either been fired, resigned from their parties or are deceased.

Dwindling DA 

The DA continued to lose ground. The party retained six wards but lost four others. The ANC successfully reclaimed ward 7 from the DA in Johannesburg.

ALSO READ: DA slips, ANC, Patriotic Alliance, IFP clear by-election winners

The average turnout was 31.94% with the highest turnout being 36.63% (ward 28 in Mnquma local municipality in the Eastern Cape) and the lowest 6.64% (ward 58 in the Tshwane metro).

The next round of by-elections will be on 30 June 2021 for nine municipal wards in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape.

Voter registration will be held this weekend, 22-23 May 2021, and voting stations will be open from 8am to 5pm.

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe