/ 8 August 2013

By-election results show ANC still has stronghold

Despite many voters speaking poorly of the ANC in Tlokwe
Despite many voters speaking poorly of the ANC in Tlokwe

Twenty wards were contested, with the ANC losing two to retain 15.

In Rustenburg’s Ward 19, which has over 8 500 registered voters and is close to three of the platinum belt’s major mining operations (Impala, Lonmin and Amplats), the ANC won by a wide margin of over 85%, trouncing an Economic Freedom Fighters-backed independent candidate, the United Christian Democratic Party and the African People’s Convention.

The result was a 2% decrease from 2011, despite the ward being home to large numbers of mineworkers and the site of a spirited campaign from the Economic Freedom Fighters and a publicised stand-off with the ANC over a rally venue last weekend.

The EFF-backed candidate Thembi Thekiso was a distant runner-up, winning close to 11% of the 1 522 valid votes. Municipal IQ’s Karen Heese said serious disaffection doesn’t really translate in local government elections.

"By elections are not really representative. We had 20 by-elections being contested. A national election across the board is different to a by-election," said Heese.

In Mafikeng, there is a ward that the ANC lost to an independent candidate. However, a number of wards where there have been violent service delivery protests but people still vote ANC. So they distinguish between loyalty for the party and their anger at a particular councillor. But that is starting to change. In Tlokwe, the ANC’s victory was narrow and it’s a victory the ANC can’t rest its laurels on.

The main issue is the lack of viable opposition but with the rising number of independent candidates, in time [at a local level], that will change. What happened in Marikana was damaging to the ANC but you can’t read that from by-elections."

North West minister for education Wendy Matsemela, who said she had been deployed by the ANC to do election work in the ward, said it was difficult to form a party and contest elections (in reference to the EFF, which backed an independent candidate as it had not yet been registered as a political party). Confident in the ANC's victory even as voting was in progress, she added that the ANC, despite its challenges was a party with a longer history and would therefore emerge stronger.

Wednesday's Ward 19 by-elections were forced by the resignation of the previously ANC-affiliated councillor, who has resigned as he could not draw two government salaries.