ANC wins ward 22, but the fall continues
As in the previous elections, the African National Congress (ANC) has retained its number one spot in Ward 22 after the 2021 Local Government Elections. However, the party continues to suffer a decline.
As in the previous elections, the African National Congress (ANC) has retained its number one spot in Ward 22 after the 2021 Local Government Elections. However, the party continues to suffer a decline.
In ward 22, Sun Valley residents had boycotted voting registration after completing a year without electricity following a mini substation bust in August 2020.
It was widely believed that residents in the area would not cast their votes, but a last-minute push by Mayor Mpho Moerane-led City of Johannesburg to pressure Eskom into replacing the mini substation saw the area provided with electricity just four days before the Local Government Elections.
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Subsequently, residents came out to vote and that push may well have helped tilt the tide towards the party’s favour. Despite dropping below the 50% mark, the ANC won all voting districts in ward 22 with an overall 49.49% support from voters, beating out ActionSA’s 23.21% and the EFF’s 12.31% voter support.
The trend was observed throughout Soweto where the ANC lost major ground, winning by just 53%, a sharp decline from the party’s 2011 results that racked up just over 80% of the voter support. Despite the decline, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa was optimistic and boastful.
“While we have seen a decline in votes, the ANC is still, by a significant margin, the most popular political organisation nationwide whether they like it or not. That is the reality,” he told supporters.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the party’s “Thank You” event held at the University of Johannesburg in Soweto on Monday.
He did, however, acknowledge that this had been the most difficult campaign for the ANC since the first democratic elections in 1994.
At the opposite end of the ring, Action SA will be the happiest with their results after securing 21% of voter support in Soweto at just their first-ever appearance at the polls.
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