Africa-Press – South-Africa. A group of former ANC councillors in Mangaung – who were fired for siding with the DA in a vote – have vowed to punish their former party in Wednesday’s by-elections.
The so-called Mangaung Seven were axed from the ANC after voting to elect the DA’s Maryke Davies as council speaker.
Now, four councillors from this grouping are contesting Wednesday’s by-elections as independent candidates under the ticket of “promoting good governance, combating corruption and maladministration”.
The other three former councillors have thrown their weight behind their colleagues.
Speaking to News24 on Wednesday, Chabeli Rampai, who was fired as Mangaung Ward 7 councillor by the ANC, made no bones about their ambitions to be part of a new coalition government in the metro.
He was fired alongside Mpho Mokoakoa of Ward 29, Lehlohonolo Moqolo of Ward 49, and Lelala Makoa of Ward 50.
Rampai said the Mangaung Seven had already lined up meetings with other political parties for Thursday and Friday if they win the wards they are contesting as independent candidates.
He added:
Rampai said they used their own funds for their campaigns and received donations in-kind.
“People around the community, who are tired of this ruling party, have assisted us with donations.”
He ruled out the formation of a new party, saying: “We’re going for a coalition. We’ll be working together with other political parties. Tomorrow [Thursday] or Friday, we’ll be talking to the parties. We’re negotiating with all the parties, except the ANC.”
Eleven by-elections are taking place in the Eastern Cape, Free-State, KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Western Cape on Wednesday.
According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa, Ward 5 in the Eastern Cape’s Senqu Municipality was being contested by the ANC’s Ntombovuyo Monica Sebatana and the EFF’s Ncediwe Sinxadi.
The ANC won the ward by 47.09% of the vote count in the 2021 local government elections.
In Ward 7 in the Free State, Rampai – who previously won it for the ANC by 37.2% in 2021 – will be going toe to toe against the Active African Christians United Movement (AACUM), ANC, DA, EFF, and Progress Party.
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Ward 29 in Mangaung, which was won by the ANC previously, is being contested by two independent candidates as well as the AACUM, ANC, DA and EFF.
About 22km across the metro in Ward 49, Moqolo will be going up against eight candidates.
Makoa is campaigning against five candidates in Mangaung’s Ward 50.
Meanwhile, two by-elections will be held in KwaZulu-Natal.
In Ward 6 in the Mthonjaneni Municipality, independent candidate Miniyokulinda Sphamandla will take on three candidates representing the ANC, EFF and IFP.
In the Nkandla Municipality, Jabulani Cyril Mchunu of the ANC, will be going up against the EFF’s Lungelo Andile Sithole and IFP’s Celinhlanhla Nkululeko Mbambo.
There are also by-elections in the North West and Western Cape, with one ward being contested in each province.
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