- The ANC was once again the biggest winner in by-elections, holding onto a number of wards.
- The DA lost two key wards to the Patriotic Alliance in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg.
- The elections took place in 40 wards and across 25 municipalities.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) took two big wards off the Democratic Alliance in Wednesday's by-elections in what could be described as a big gain for the small party founded by businessman Gayton McKenzie.
PA shock DA in Ward 18 (Eldorado Park) in Johannesburg PA 62% (3%) DA 22% (81%) ANC 12% (8%) EFF 2% (2%) CMSA 2% Poll 32% (65%). In 2016 the DA got 9535 more votes than the PA. This is remarkable.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
The PA scored 62% of the vote in ward 18 in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, up from 3% in 2016. The DA's votes dropped from 81% to 22%.
The PA also won in neighbouring ward 17.
PA takes W17 (Eldorado Park Kliptown) off DA in (Eldorado Park Kliptown) in JHB PA 43% (2%) DA 30% (65%) ANC 16% (25%) EFF 4% (5%) Al-Jamah 2% AIC 2% COPE 1% Poll (61%). Peter Rafferty wins his ward back as a PA cllr. The PA & Gayton McKenzie are on a roll in the south of JHB
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
The DA also lost support in a safe ward in Tshwane – this time to the Freedom Front Plus. The DA managed to hold onto the ward with a still convincing 65% of the vote, but dropped by 24 percentage points with most of those votes apparently going to the Freedom Front Plus, which had 31% of the votes – up by 27%.
So we have some by-election results (thanks to @waynesussman!) Tshwane 44 is a key result:2016:DA 89%FF+ 4%2019:DA 75%FF+ 11%Yesterday:DA 65% (-24)FF+ 31% (+27)So the swing from DA to FF+ with Afrikaans voters continues (and actually bigger here than in 2019)
— Dawie Scholtz (@DawieScholtz) May 20, 2021
However, the party managed to strengthen its grip in Tshwane's wards 92 and 23.
DA hold Ward 92 (Arcadia Hatfield) in Tshwane DA 59% (45%) ANC 32% (33%) EFF 10% (18%). Low turnout, but big hold for the DA. ANC won here by over 1200 votes in 2019. This was Abel Tau’s old ward.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
The party, in a statement published by its spokesperson Siviwe Garube, described its performance as one of "stabilising and moving towards a trajectory of growth".
The three wards it retained in Tshwane showed that voters reject "the chaos and corruption of the ANC and instead endorsing the DA-led government as led by Mayor Randall Williams," she said.
The DA continues to show that it’s stabilising and moving towards a trajectory of growth.
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 20, 2021
The DA retained all three wards that we contested in Tshwane, with voters rejecting the chaos and corruption of the ANC and instead endorsing the DA-led government.https://t.co/mdq5wKiL7P
She described the party's losses in Johannesburg as a result that was "influenced by our previous coalition government" and said the party took this message from its voters seriously.
It is set to kick off its local government elections campaign with a virtual #TimeForChange rally on Saturday.
DA hold Ward 23 (Glenvista Glenanda) in Johannesburg DA 88% (81%) ANC (14%) EFF (4%). Poll 17% (72%). This is Sarah Wissler from ActionSA’s old ward. DA will be happy with the strong showing. Low turnout.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
The ANC has had another strong showing in the by-elections with 29 out of the 40 wards going to the party.
It managed to hold onto ward 25 in the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality, where a former ANC councillor ran for the MAPsixteen Civil Movement after being booted from the ANC for voting with the opposition to oust a former ANC mayor.
ANC holds Ward 25 (Phuthaditjhaba-H Phamong) in Maluti a Phofung in Thabo Mofutsanyana in the FS. ANC 40% (49%) MAP16 Movement 35% EFF 20% (36%) Ind-Shabalala 2% Ind-Mofokeng 2% AASD 1%. Poll 38% (53%). Crucial hold in Maluti for ANC. Map16 came close to an upset.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
Anc win by elections long live! Anc leads ! Anc lives!
— |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) May 20, 2021
In KwaZulu-Natal, it managed to take ward 110 in eThekwini off the DA but shed ward 14 in uPhongolo to the IFP.
IFP shock ANC in uPhongolo. Ward 14 (Gumbi Mgazini) in uPhongolo in Zululand. IFP 59% (29%) ANC 33% (54%) DA (13%) EFF 4% (3%) NFP 4% UCDP <1%. Poll 45% (56%). This is a major upset.
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
The ANC in a statement by its elections party head Fikile Mbalula said it welcomed the by-election results.
"The outcomes of recently-held by-elections clearly demonstrate that the ANC continues to grow its support across the country," he said.
Mbalula said the ANC retained 26 wards.
He said the party would continue to ensure that our campaign is grounded on humility, commitment to making a better life for all a lived reality and selecting candidates that are rooted among their communities," he said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters had a lukewarm showing in the by-elections. It faced a strong challenge from the Middelburg & Hendrina Residents Front (MHRF) in ward 22 in Mpumalanga's Steve Tshwete's municipality.
It's still an ANC seat, but the newly formed MHRF – comprising former ANC members – got 21% of the vote, while the EFF got 12%, three percentage points down from 2016.
ANC holds Ward 22 (Mhluzi Middelburg) in Steve Tshwete in Nkangala in Mpumalanga. ANC 67% (79%) Middelburg & Hendrina Residents Front (MHRF) 21% EFF 12% (15%). Poll 26% (52%). ANC will be very happy here. They had a credible local challenger. MHRF can still do well in LGE
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
The EFF will be disappointed with not making inroads in KwaMashu, Voca Hills & Mount Moriah. The Ethekwini win for the ANC was expected, but the fact that they were able to blunt a rising EFF in eThekwini will be a big motivational boost for the ANC in eThekwini
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) May 20, 2021
By-elections were held in 40 wards across 25 municipalities, and served as a good indicator of possible trends in the local government elections on 27 October.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa did not report any glitches relating to the by-elections, although the results were only published in the morning and not in real-time overnight.
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