EFF hails ‘historic’ by-election victory in Western Cape

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said its victory in the by-election this week in Ward 9 in the Saldanha Bay municipality is a sign that its popularity is increasing across South Africa.

First EFF win in Western Cape

The EFF made history this week when it shocked the ANC by winning the Ward 9 by-election on the West Coast. The EFF got 57% of the votes, while the ANC recorded 43%.

It is the first time the EFF has won a by-election in the Western Cape.

Election analyst Wayne Sussman took to Twitter to confirm that the ANC had lost a “super safe West Coast seat”.

Sussman added the EFF have now won ANC seats in six provinces – Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng, Western Cape and the Free State – since the 2021 Local Government Elections.

The EFF said the Saldanha Bay win is a sign that voting patterns are changing in South Africa.

“The majority of the residents are beginning to appreciate the work of the EFF and that appreciation is now translating to votes,” said EFF spokesperson Wandile Kasibe.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the residents of Ward 9 who came out in their numbers and voted for Councillor Mthobeli Twala, thus advancing the revolutionary agenda of economic freedom in our lifetime.”

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Kasibe said the reason Twala won the by-election was because he is “in touch with the realities of the people on the ground”.

“The margin of more than 300 people by which we have defeated the ANC in Ward 9 is an indication of our numerical growth and popularity amongst the people.

The EFF also encouraged its members in two other Western Cape municipalities – Theewaterskloof and George – to vote in the upcoming by-elections early next year.

‘EFF will remove ANC’

Last Sunday, EFF leader Julius Malema said the ANC would lose power in the 2024 elections.

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Malema made the remarks while campaigning in KwaZulu-Natal.

“KwaZulu-Natal will not be under the ANC in 2024, whether they like it or not. It’s not only KwaZulu-Natal, but the entire South Africa will not be under the ANC come 2024,” he said.

“We are the generation that is going to remove criminals. We do not theorise about it, we are going to practically do it in 2024. South Africa has been waiting for the arrival of the EFF.”

Additional reporting by Lunga Mzangwe.