The African National Congress (ANC) and the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) both won three of eight contested municipal by-elections held on Wednesday – with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) retaining two seats it previously had held.
There were no upsets in the election as the three seats held by the ANC were all previously ANC seats. Technically the ANC picked up a seat in KwaZulu-Natal — Escourt– from the DA, although the DA did not stand in the by-election. The IFP, instead, narrowly lost the contest, in this case against the ANC.
The DA secured a win in Bonteheuwel, a working-class mainly coloured area on the Cape Flats, albeit with a reduced majority. However, in the 2000 municipal election, the DA included the then New National Party, which has now been absorbed into the ANC.
According to the Independent Electoral Commission, the DA gained 2446 votes or 59 9%, to the ANC’s 1 269 or 31,1%. The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) came in third with 340 votes or 8,34% and the Moderate Independent Party trailed with just 24 votes or 0,59%. The percentage poll was 32%.
In 2000, the DA won nearly 70% of the vote or 3 934 votes to the ANC’s 1 208 votes or 21,45%. Four other parties picked up the remaining votes.
However, the area was only very narrowly won by the DA in the national election in April — by about 100 votes over the ruling ANC.
Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s IFP swept to victory in two municipal by-elections held in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. This is a traditional area of strong support for the mainly Zulu-based party.
In one of the seats — ward six — it received 1 290 votes or 95,34% to the ANC’s 63 votes or 4,66%. The percentage poll was 48,8%. In the 2000 general municipal election, the IFP polled 1 531 votes in ward six or 96,9% of the vote to the ANC’s 4% or 64 votes in a percentage poll of 58.4%.
In the second seat – ward four – it also cruised to a strong victory of 73,4% or 780 votes to the ANC’s 282 or 26,5%. The percentage poll was 39.1%. In 2000, in ward four the ANC polled 116 votes or 7,43% while the IFP gained 1 446 or 92,5%. This indicates growth in this by-election for the ANC, albeit off a low base.
Meanwhile at Umtshezi (Escourt), also in KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP was pipped to the post by the ANC. It gained 48,6% of the vote or 785 votes to the ANC’s 828 or 51,3%. The percentage poll was 38%. In 2000, the IFP had come third behind the DA and ANC.
At Burghersdorp in the Eastern Cape, the ANC won with a narrow majority in a seat which it gained in 2000. The ANC won 836 votes or 52,7% to the DA’s 702 votes or 44,2%. An independent gained 48 votes or 3%. In 2000 the ANC won 58% or 1 170 votes to the DA’s 730 or 36% and the Pan Africanist Congress won 6% or 124 votes.
At Randfontein in Gauteng, the DA swept to victory with 80,8% of the vote or 1 292 votes to the Freedom Front Plus’s 16,9% or 271 votes. The ANC gained just 36 votes or 2,25%. The seat had been won in 2000 by the DA with 93% or 1 514 votes to the ANC’s 95 or 5,8% and the United Christian Democratic Party’s (UCDP) three votes or 0,19%.
At Greater Taung (Reivilo) in the North West the ANC gained 72,6% or 1 162 votes to the UCDP’s 345 votes or 21,5% and the African Christian Democratic Party’s 5,8% or 93 votes. In 2000 the ANC gained 70,1% or 1 375 votes to the UCDP’s 488 or 24,9%.
In Durban, KwaZulu-Natal the DA retained a safe seat with 63,4% of the vote or 2 177 votes albeit in a low percentage poll of 26,4%. The ANC gained 949 votes or 27% while the IFP gained just 305 votes or 8,8%. In 2000, the DA gained nearly 80% or 4 351 votes to the ANC’s 656 or 12% and the IFP’s 366 or nearly 7%. The poll on Wednesday was 26% compared to 48% in 2000. – I-Net Bridge