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ANC snatches EFF seat in Limpopo by-election
EFF's by-election loss came after its former Limpopo leader Buthane re-joined the ANC along with groups of EFF supporters.
Photo: Supplied
The ANC has won a seat previously held by the red berets in Seshego, Limpopo, the hometown of EFF leader Julius Malema.
Jubilations echoed in the contested ward as ANC members celebrated the re-claiming of the seat from the EFF. The latter won the seat three times before.
Wednesday’s by-election in Polokwane’s Ward 10 was as a result of EFF councillor Jacob Seshoka stepping down after he was charged for alleged theft of guns and ammunition.
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The sobering loss ahead of the crucial 29 May general elections comes after former EFF Limpopo leader Jossey Buthane‘s rallying of red beret members in recent weeks to re-join the ANC.
Malema enjoys political support in Seshego, where he also casts vote during elections.
Voter support in numbers
With 7 110 registered voters in the ward, the voter turn out was 48.5%, according to IEC electoral officer Nkaro Mateta.
The governing party received 1 811 votes, followed by the EFF with 1 474 votes.
ActionSA netted 63 votes, while by-election debutant for Limpopo MK party received 23 votes. EFF breakaway party, the Economic Liberators Forum of SA netted 40 votes.
Meanwhile, Operation Dudula was the worst performer with only seven votes.
ANC provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe said the results resonate well with his party’s message of “unity and building a better life for all”.
“The ANC calls on the incoming ward 10 councillor Willie Madikoto to serve the residents under the Polokwane Municipality with humility and selfless dedication,” he said.
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EFF won the seat three times before.
PA makes clean sweep in WC
Further afield in the Westen Cape, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) made a clean sweep during Wednesday’s by-elections in Oudshoorn, Swartland.
A third by-election took place in Cederberg Municipality, governed by the a coalition between the DA, FF Plus and the Cederberg Eerste (CE) party.
CE ensured the coalition’s dominance by winning the ANC seat with 39% of the votes. The PA rallied closely with 36% result.
At the DA’s heartland at Swartland Municipality, the PA caused an upset after winning a DA seat with 853 votes, the DA got 825 votes.
The party also triumphed against the ANC in Oudshoorn in the Klein Karoo, receiving 1 278 seats compared to the ANC’s 632.
In a statement on Thursday, the PA said the by-elections were its most successful in its history.
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