The African National Congress (ANC) has emerged victorious in a by-election held in Seshego, Limpopo, where they reclaimed a seat previously held by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). This victory holds significant importance as Seshego is the hometown of EFF leader Julius Malema.
The atmosphere in the contested ward was filled with jubilation as ANC members celebrated their successful bid to regain the seat from the EFF. It is worth noting that the EFF had won this seat three times before.
The by-election in Polokwane’s Ward 10 was necessitated by the resignation of EFF councillor Jacob Seshoka, who was charged with the alleged theft of guns and ammunition.
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However, this sobering loss for the EFF comes at a crucial time, just weeks before the general elections scheduled for the 29th of May.
Interestingly, former EFF Limpopo leader Jossey Buthane had been rallying EFF members in recent weeks to rejoin the ANC, which may have influenced the outcome of this by-election.
Julius Malema enjoys significant political support in Seshego, as it is not only his hometown but also the place where he casts his vote during elections. The voter turnout for this by-election was 48.5%, with 7,110 registered voters in the ward.
The ANC secured 1,811 votes, followed by the EFF with 1,474 votes. Other parties, such as Actionsa, MK Party, and the Economic Liberators Forum of SA, received 63, 23, and 40 votes respectively. Operation Dudula performed the worst, garnering only seven votes.
Reuben Madadzhe, the ANC provincial secretary, expressed his satisfaction with the results, stating that they align well with the ANC’s message of unity and building a better life for all.
Madadzhe called upon the incoming ward 10 councillor, Willie Madikoto, to serve the residents of Polokwane Municipality with humility and selfless dedication.
Moving to the Western Cape, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) achieved a clean sweep in the by-elections held in Oudshoorn and Swartland.
In the Cederberg municipality, which is governed by a coalition between the Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), and the Cederberg Eerste (CE) party, CE secured the ANC seat with 39% of the votes, while the PA closely followed with a 36% result.
In the heartland of the DA, the Swartland municipality, the PA caused an upset by winning a DA seat with 853 votes, narrowly surpassing the DA’s 825 votes. The PA also triumphed against the ANC in Oudshoorn in the Klein Karoo, receiving 1,278 votes compared to the ANC’s 632.
In a statement released on Thursday, the PA expressed their delight at the outcome of the by-elections, stating that they were the most successful in the party’s history.
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