The Democratic Alliance has retained its ward in Grassy Park on the Cape Flats in a heavily contested by-election, setting the scene for a battle between the DA and African National Congress.
The two parties have emerged as the main contenders for next year’s electoral spoils after a series of by-elections since the New National Party split from the alliance and politicians were allowed to defect from their old parties but retain their seats.
Though Grassy Park is a traditional New National Party stronghold, the NNP did not field a candidate, no doubt mindful of its disappointing performance in Swellendam in March.
The NNP did well in Grassy Park in the 1994 and 1999 national elections and won the ward in the 1996 municipal poll. Neighbouring wards have NNP councillors. But NNP executive director Darryl Swanepoel said this week that the party did not want to contest the ward against the ANC and give victory to the DA by default.
Just 24,1% of voters cast their ballots, about half the turnout in the December 2000 municipal elections.
The DA’s Basil Lee obtained 59% of the votes, the ANC candidate 27,4% and the African Christian Democratic Party 11,7%. Fifty-one votes were cast for the Universal Party, formed during the defection period, giving it one councillor in the Cape Town unicity.
The DA is keen to prove its support in Cape Town, which it controlled before the defection period. It lost the city to the ANC-NNP alliance with the defections.
The DA narrowly recaptured Swellendam with a 65-vote margin. It had lost the seat during the defection period. The ANC improved its support and came second. The NNP came third.
The six by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal were essentially a contest between the Inkatha Freedom Party and the ANC. The IFP retained four of its five wards. At uMhlatuze (Richard’s Bay) the ANC won the ward, though the IFP still dominates the council. The ANC had hoped to gain the IFP ward at Mooi Mpofana (Mooi River), but IFP co-operation with the DA foiled the bid. At Mkhambathini (Camperdown) the ANC kept its seat with an overwhelming majority.
In Johannesburg ward 57 (South Hills/Moffat Park) the DA successfully defended its majority against the ANC and the Christian Democratic Party.
ANC candidates were unchallenged in Worcester, Western Cape, and Griekwastad in the Northern Cape. In Sol Plaatje (Kimberly) the ANC trumped the Azanian People’s Organisation candidate.