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Newsletter 144 - Results of the municipal by-elections

By-elections were held on 7th September and 5th October in 26 municipal wards across five provinces. The African National Congress (ANC) lost three seats, and now holds 21 of the 26 contested available seats. The Democratic Alliance (DA) lost one seat and won two. The Congress of the People (Cope) won one seat. Voter turnout averaged 34%.

South Africa had its first municipal by-elections since the local government election in May, on 7th September and 5th October. The elections occurred in 26 municipal wards in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape. Of the 26 contested seats, the African National Congress (ANC) won 21, the Democratic Alliance (DA) four, and the Congress of the People (Cope) one. Voter turnout varied between 17% and 69%. On average, the by-elections yielded a 34% turnout.

By-elections occur when a seat becomes vacant between scheduled elections.
According to Mr Jackson Mthembu, spokesperson for the ANC, vacancies in the various councils arose as a result of the ANC’s stance against public servants who also hold positions as public representatives.
The DA unseated the ANC in two municipalities. It won 51% of the votes in a 45% turnout in both the Merafong City municipality in Gauteng and the Mogalakwena municipality in Limpopo. Cope unseated the ANC in Makhuduthamaga municipality in Limpopo, where it won 48% of the votes in a 35% turnout. In total, the ANC lost three seats, but it also gained one in the Cederberg municipality in the Western Cape where it unseated the DA, winning 47% of the votes in a 69% turnout.
 

By-elections results from 7th September 2011 and 5th October 2011
Party
Seats won
Seats lost
Seats retained
Net gain / loss
ANC
1
3
20
-2
DA
2
1
2
+1
Cope
1
0
0
+1

Source: Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), www.elections.org.za, accessed on 6th October 2011
Note: Net gain / loss is calculated by subtracting the number of seats lost from the number of seats won. Seats retained are not taken into account.
-          Lerato Moloi
 
by Lerato Moloi — last modified 2011-11-11 10:35
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