The African National Congress (ANC) has emerged victorious in the latest by-elections as it retained its seats in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal while winning another seat in Northern Cape. The elections were held in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and Western Cape on Wednesday, 14 May.

ANC RETAINS ITS SEATS IN LATEST BY-ELECTIONS The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said the ANC retained its seats in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, and won a seat in Northern Cape, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a seat in the Western Cape. In ward 24 in the City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, the ANC retained the seat it won in the 2021 Municipal Elections, with 54.76% of the total votes cast, compared to 55.70% during the 2021 Municipal Elections. The percentage of people voting was 27.37 percent. The ANC won ward 4 in Mpofana, KwaZulu-Natal, from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with 51.

09 percent of the votes cast, compared to 68% in the 2021 Municipal Elections. This allowed the ANC to keep the seat it had won in 2021. Voter turnout was 63.67%. That’s not all, in ward 5 in the Nama Khoi Local Municipality, Northern Cape, the ANC won a seat previously held by the Namakwa Civic Movement in the 2021 Municipal Elections with 37.10% of the total votes cast, compared to 43.19% during the 2021 Municipal Elections. The percentage of people voting was 64.60 percent. In the meantime, the DA won back its seat in ward 9 of the Stellenbosch Municipality in the Western Cape with 94.74 percent of the votes cast, up from 85.59 percent in the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout was 6.59%.

FORMER RULING PARTY WELCOMES BY-ELECTION VICTORY The ANC said the strong showing in Wednesday’s by-elections affirmed the continued relevance of the ANC as a people’s movement rooted in struggle, service, and transformation. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the victories are a result of tireless groundwork by ANC volunteers, branch structures and community organisers who kept the flame of the movement burning in every street, village and township. “The high turnout and robust support from the streets of Soweto to the rural heartland of Mpofana and the reclaimed ground in Nama Khoi, reaffirm that the ANC is reconnecting with its people and reclaiming its historic role as the leader of society,” Bhengu-Motisri said.