Little change in by-elections
All but two of the 22 municipal wards contested in by-elections around the country on Wednesday have been retained by the political party that controlled them before the polls.
Results posted on the Independent Electoral Commission's website on Thursday show ward two in Okhahlamba (Bergville) municipality in KwaZulu-Natal fell to the African National Congress. It was previously held by the National Freedom Party. The ruling party took it with 42 percent of the votes cast in a 58 percent poll.
The other ward to change hands, in the same province, was ward 70 in eThekwini (Durban Metro) municipality. It was taken by the Democratic Alliance, going to the same councillor who had previously represented the Minority Front, but resigned.
The by-elections were held across eight provinces, prompted by either the death or resignation of councillors. They were contested by a total of 63 candidates, representing 11 political parties and including six independent candidates.
Four of the by-elections were in the Eastern Cape.
Ward five in the Kouga (Humansdorp) municipality was retained by the DA, which took 58 percent of the vote in a 56 percent poll.
The ANC retained ward nine in the same municipality, ward two in Mnquma (Butterworth) municipality, and ward 13 in Nkonkobe (Alice) municipality, with 56 percent, 47 percent, and 98 percent of the vote respectively.
There was a single by-election in the Free State, at ward eight in Nala (Bothaville) municipality. The ward was uncontested and remained in the hands of the ANC.
In Gauteng, ward 96 in Ekurhuleni (East Rand) municipality and ward 12 in Emfuleni (Vereeniging) municipality were both retained by the ANC. Voter turnout in both wards was relatively low, with the IEC reporting 23 percent and 16 percent polls respectively.
Besides the two wards in the eThekwini and Okhahlamba municipalities, three other by-elections took place in KwaZulu-Natal.
Ward eight in Emnambithi/Ladysmith municipality was held by the ANC, with the party's candidate taking 73 percent of the votes cast.
Ward three in Endumeni (Dundee) municipality and ward 14 in Mfolozi (KwaMbonambi) municipality were also both retained by the ANC, with 50 percent and 60 percent of the vote respectively.
A single by-election in Limpopo saw the DA keep control of ward eight in Modimolle (Nylstroom) municipality.
The ANC retained four wards in Mpumalanga, and the DA one.
Ruling party candidates took ward 16 in Mkhondo (Piet Retief) municipality with 60 percent of the votes cast, ward six in Thaba Chweu (Sabie) municipality with 78 percent, as well as ward 21 (89 percent) and ward 34 (91 percent) in Mbombela (Nelspruit) municipality.
The DA retained ward 22 in Emalahleni (Witbank) municipality, garnering 66 percent of the votes in a relatively low (15 percent) turnout.
Two by-elections were held in North West.
Ward one in Kgetlengrivier (Koster) municipality was not contested and remained in ANC control. Ward six in Ditsobotla (Lichtenburg) municipality saw the DA retain possession with 77 percent of the vote.
In the Northern Cape, the ANC held onto both ward nine in Sol Plaatje (Kimberley) municipality and ward four in Gamagara (Kathu) municipality.
A total of 117,984 voters were registered in the 22 wards and 92 voting districts around the country where the by-elections took place.
Source : Sapa /rod/jk/ks/th
Date : 28 Nov 2013 12:01
