The ruling African National Congress (ANC) was the big winner in the last round of by-elections to take place this year, claiming all but one of the 12 wards contested in results.
The municipal by-elections on Wednesday were marked by low voter turnouts, with an 11% turnout at ward three in Mbolela (Nelspruit).
The highest turnout was at ward 23 in the Drakenstein [Paarl] with a turnout of 46,48% in the only ward not claimed by the ANC — the Democratic Alliance’s Miriam Adriaanse scraped home against the ANC’s Harlan Cloete.
In KwaZulu-Natal, all five wards contested were retained by the ANC with an average voter turnout of 35,15%.
In a statement, the ANC’s provincial secretary Senzo Mchunu said: ”The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal welcomes the continued confidence the people have invested in it.”
Only one of the 12 wards was uncontested, ward nine in Inxuba Yethemba (Cradock) in the Eastern Cape, with Mlulami Otto Henge of the ANC the only candidate.
Three took place in Mpumalanga — ward 26 in Govan Mbeki [Highveld Ridge], and wards three and 14 in Mbombela (Nelspruit).
The other by-elections were in Limpopo [ward four in Ba-Phalaborwa], in North West (ward 18 in Mafikeng) and in the Western Cape (ward 23 in Drakenstein [Paarl]). — Sapa