Victorious political parties reacted with glee on Thursday to 19 municipal by-elections held around the country the day before.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the African National Congress was in a jubilant mood after gaining victories in three by-elections in rural areas, previously regarded as Inkatha Freedom Party strongholds.
In Ndwedwe, the ANC polled 1 012 votes to the IFP’s 667, in KwaMhlabuyalingana the ANC got 816 and the IFP 434, and in Umhlathuze near Empangeni the ANC took 1 014 votes to the IFP’s 99.
”The significance of this overwhelming electoral victory of the ANC in these by-elections signifies the unprecedented swelling of ANC support in the province, especially in rural areas which all these years have been wrongly described as IFP strongholds,” the ANC said.
”As ANC we humbly accept the mammoth responsibility vested in us by the voters in leading the fight against poverty and underdevelopment in this province.
”We are confident that this is a clear pointer to the tremendous success of the People’s Contract to create work and fight poverty,” the party said.
In Bloemfontein’s ward 24, the Democratic Alliance achieved a convincing win over the Freedom Front Plus, with the African Christian Democratic Party coming in third.
The DA garnered 1 462 votes, the FF+ 1 039 and the ACDP 51.
DA spokesperson Helen Zille said FF+ leader Pieter Mulder had previously characterised the strong support the DA received from Afrikaans-speaking voters as Afrikaners ”flirting with the DA”.
”He is now learning that it is a much more committed relationship,” she said.
Acting chief electoral officer Norman du Plessis said the ANC won 17 of the 19 by-elections, and the DA two.
Voter turnout varied between 11,28% and 49,61%, with an average of 29,27%.
Five wards were uncontested; in Kouga (Humansdorp) (DA), Mantsopa (Ladybrand) (ANC), Polokwane (Pietersburg) (ANC), Highveld East (Highveld Ridge) (ANC) and Nkomazi (ANC). — Sapa