Five elections were held across the country on Wednesday, with the incumbent parties – the ANC and the DA – easily defending their seats.
Two by-elections were held in Dr AB Xuma municipality (formerly Engcobo) in the eastern reaches of the Eastern Cape.
Here the ANC easily defended two seats, winning nearly 90% in both wards. The only challenger in both the by-elections was the EFF.
Another by-election was held in the Eastern Cape, this time in Enoch Mgijima, in the central Eastern Cape.
Here the ANC had another relatively easy day at the office, winning nearly two thirds of the vote. The primary challenger was an independent, who won nearly 25% of the vote.
The ANC’s final defence was in Madibeng (Brits) in North West. On Wednesday it again won nearly two thirds of the vote, after having failed to win more than 50% of the vote in the 2021 local government election in the ward (although it had still been the biggest party). The only significant resistance was the EFF, which won nearly 30%.
The final by-election was in Johannesburg, where the DA easily defended a ward. The DA retained the seat with 95% of the vote.
Wednesday’s polls will have seen the ANC and the DA relatively happy with their day’s work, although the EFF will be disappointed that it couldn’t challenge more strongly for one of the ANC’s wards, particularly the one in Madibeng.
Photo: Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality’s infamous “R15 million” sports stadium