The Electoral Commission of South Africa has announced the results of the by-elections that took place in eThekwini, Okhahlamba and Nongoma Municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, and in the Kai! Garib Municipality in the Northern Cape.
These by-elections, which were held on Wednesday, arose on account of the death of councillors and resignations following the general elections of local councils on 1 November 2021. These by-elections involved 23 voting stations, encompassing 33 534 registered voters.
“During the by-elections contested [on Wednesday] in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Northern Cape provinces, the African National Congress (ANC) retained two seats, National Freedom Party (NFP) won one seat and retained one seat, and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won one seat,” the IEC said in a statement on Thursday.
The new councillors for the ANC are as follows:
• Mkhipheni Mzimuni Ngiba in Ward 101 in eThekwini Municipality (ETH). The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections by winning 41.49% of the total votes cast, compared to 48% in the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout was 16.04%.
• Regina Iipinge in Ward 2 in KAI! Garib Municipality (NC082). The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections with 59.61% of the total votes cast, compared to 50.63% in the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout was 59.39%.
The new councillor for the IFP is:
• Robert Simangaliso Ngwenya in Ward 6 in Okhahlamba Municipality ( KZN235). The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections by winning 57.91% of the total votes cast, compared to 48.82% in the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout was 57.26%.
The new councillors for the NFP are:
• Bongukwazi Sonbon Mbatha in Ward 17 in Nongoma Municipality (KZN265). The party retained the seat won in the 2021 Municipal Elections by winning 44.85% of the total votes cast, compared to 46.96% in the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout was 50.56%.
• Nkokhelo Msomi in Ward 20 in Nongoma Municipality (KZN265). The party gained the seat previously won by the IFP in the 2021 Municipal Elections by winning 36.67% of the total votes cast, compared to 37.93% won by the IFP in the 2021 Municipal Elections. Voter turnout was 51.11%.
Source: South African Government News Agency