#IMadeMyMark: ANC regains Ward 47 but numbers show decline in support.
The African National Congress (ANC) Nicholas Molokwane Branch in Ward 47 has expressed dissatisfaction over low voter turnout in the 2021 Local Government Elections which took place on Monday last week.
The African National Congress (ANC) Nicholas Molokwane Branch in Ward 47 has expressed dissatisfaction over low voter turnout in the 2021 Local Government Elections which took place on Monday last week.
“We are not satisfied with the current order of things and we are going back to the boardroom to look at how we can reach out to bigger numbers of community members to come out to vote for the ANC particularly on Local Government Elections,” said Branch Secretary, Fred Mokoko in a statement on Friday.
“We will be working with the ANC Women’s League to reach out to women in the community and develop platforms to combat poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
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Even though the ANC won the elections in Ward 47 and retained Tebogo Mhlari as the ward councillor, the numbers are still a cause for concern.
The ruling party won the ward with 44.37% which is a significant drop from the 59.07% they got in 2016 and 71.11% they got in 2011.
Besides the low voter turnout, results show that the arrival of ActionSA on the local political scene might have had a significant impact on the ANC’s drop in numbers.
The new party obtained 23.94% trailing behind the ruling party in the ward. On the other hand, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) showed some growth from the 10.78% they got in 2016 by moving up to 14.93% this year.
From the 2006 Local Government Elections, this is the first time the ANC in Ward 47 has received less than 50%.
Speaking at the IEC’s National Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Pretoria early last week, the party’s Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte said these results, coupled with low voter turnout send a clear message that the people are disappointed in the ANC and its slow progress in fixing local government.
While the ruling party has been given another chance to govern Ward 47, the numbers from these elections should be a wakeup call for Councillor Mhlari. “We have a unique position to evaluate our own performance and work,” concluded Mokoko.
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