The Congress of the People (Cope) managed to win just two of the 27 by-elections held this week, even though 21 of the elections were caused by sitting ANC councillors resigning to join Cope. The implication is that voters still prefer the ANC, despite councillors having rejected the party.
The by-elections were held on Wednesday in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. Twenty-one of the by-elections had been caused by the defection of councillors from the ANC to join Cope, five wards became vacant due to the death of councillors and one due to the expulsion of a councillor.
Twenty-three councillors were returned to their positions while the Democratic Alliance and Independent Democrats took one ward each from the ANC in Musina and Garies in the Northern Cape.
In the Northern Cape all the vacant wards had been ANC controlled. The ruling party maintained its grip over all but two wards, with Cope taking two, in Upington and Groblershoop.
Said the ANC in a statement: ‘Claims that the ANC has been losing support in the province have thus been proven grossly exaggeratedâ€.