The ANC lost both provinces in this year’s elections. The party managed to corner 49.3% of the vote in the Northern Cape, but only about 15% in KwaZulu-Natal after the formation of Jacob Zuma’s MK party.
Sussman said the ANC came third in Sweetwaters in the May elections, well behind the MK Party which won more than 50% of the vote. The IFP ousted the ANC in a 2023 by-election.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party was humbled by the trust and confidence shown by the people in the by-elections. She said these victories reflect the resilience, hard work and dedication of the ANC to serve the people.
“They affirm that the ANC remains the movement capable of advancing the daily needs of South Africans and delivering the change they seek. The ANC’s successes at the polls demonstrate the people trust us to continue working for a better and more prosperous future.
“We extend our gratitude to all voters who placed their confidence in the ANC. This trust is not taken for granted and we remain committed to delivering on the promises made during the campaign. We also thank our dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure our message reached the people.”
The MK Party failed to contest the vacancy after concerns were raised about its candidate. MK Party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu said the party noted the results, adding the MK party still enjoys majority support.
“We guided the process of councillor selection and registration which produced candidate Nkosinathi Mshengu. Without mandate and permission, someone deregistered a candidate who was a product of community meetings and registered a candidate who lost in the selection process. The provincial leadership correctly challenged the wrongful candidate in court and reaffirmed our principled view on candidate Mshengu despite the court refusing.”
Shivambu said the party instituted disciplinary measures against those who violated internal processes.
TimesLIVE
https://www.timeslive.co.za/authors/lizeka-tandwa/
www.timeslive.co.za
