Africa-Press – South-Africa. Wednesday’s by-elections signified a solid electoral day for both the ANC and the DA, with both parties successfully fending off the opposition in their strongholds in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
The ANC won a ward back from an independent candidate in the Merafong City Local Municipality on Gauteng’s West Rand.
The area, which includes the mining town Carletonville, was governed through a coalition but would now be fully in the ANC’s control.
“Merafong is a key municipality because it is a traditional area where the ANC does better. They now have an outright majority, making it easier for them to govern. The EFF had a chance of winning the seat, but the ANC cobbled them,” said elections monitoring expert Wayne Sussman.
The DA managed to fend off opposition political parties in the suburbs of Mogale City in Gauteng by taking 74% of the votes.
“The DA in Mogale City defended a ward, and it is a good result because the FF Plus has been winning off support in key DA areas in past by-elections. Despite the FF Plus growing, the DA managed to retain the seat,” Sussman said.
The ANC also won a seat back from an independent candidate in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The party won 55% of the votes.
The ANC kept hold of a ward in Mhlontlo in the OR Tambo district of the Eastern Cape by taking 70% of the votes.
Sussman told News24 on Thursday:
In KwaZulu-Natal, by-election day saw both the IFP and the ANC keep hold of wards they had previously held. Four wards were up for grabs in by-elections.
According to Sussman, the IFP kept control of Msinga with 57% of the votes after a high by-election turnout.
The DA kept control of Ward 10 in Umdoni, with 82% of the votes.
The ANC was able to maintain control of a ward in Maphumulo in the iLembe District Municipality with 61% of the votes.
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