IFP strengthens its hold on the Newcastle Municipality
The IFP snatched three more wards from the ANC in by-elections held last week Wednesday (March 13.)
With 1,973 votes, the IFP easily defeated the ANC (763 votes), EFF (94 votes), and TSSA (256 votes) in Ward 12. In Ward 19, the IFP received 1,566 votes – more than the combined total of 732, 65, and 137 votes for the EFF, TSSA, and ANC.
Similarly, in Ward 23, the IFP received 1,498 votes, the ANC 315, the EFF 0 and the TSSA 213 votes behind.
Speaking in his capacity as IFP Provincial Secretary and mayor of the Newcastle Municipality, Xolani Dube commented on his party’s victory attributing it to the good work the IFP is doing in the municipality.
“Winning three by elections in one day is saying we are doing something right that is resonating well with the people of Newcastle,” said Dube
“The reflection of this by election, to us as the IFP, is saying we are now on the right track and we have to keep on doing what we are doing because people wouldn’t have trusted us if there wasn’t anything that we were doing right.”
In response to what this victory, means for the coalition that runs the municipality, Dube heavily emphasised that “nothing is going to change now that the coalition has 41 seats and the opposition; (the ANC and EFF) have 26 seats.
In a statement, an elated IFP IFP KZN chairperson and Premier candidate, Thami Ntuli, expressed excitement at the IFP taking the wards at ‘such a crucial political time.’
“As we approach the Provincial and National General Elections, these victories in the by-elections bolster our confidence and reaffirm our commitment to delivering meaningful change for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
“These results again underscore the significant, growing support for the IFP,” he said
The IFP now leads in the Newcastle municipality with 21 seats, followed by the ANC (19), Team Sugar (7), DA (5), Action SA (3), Freedom Front+ 1, National Freedom Party (1), Patriotic Alliance (1) and African Transformation Movement (1) in the 67-seat council.
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