DA wins by-election round with ANC, taking WSM ward

The battle by the DA to wrest control from the ANC continued this week in the Eastern Cape when the two parties each took one ward during the by-elections on Wednesday.

This round, however, goes to the DA as it took ward 3 in Walter Sisulu Municipality from the ANC. The municipality covers the towns of Aliwal North, Burgersdorp and Jamestown.

The ANC managed to retain ward 29 in Mbhashe municipality by securing 83.90% of the vote.

In Mbhashe, there were 1,665 votes cast with 43 of them counted as spoilt ballots. The EFF only managed to get 60 votes, PAC 22, UDM 186 and the ANC 1,397. Philile Mayiji is the new ward councillor.

In Water Sisulu, 1,356 votes were cast with only 10 spoilt ballots. EFF received 112 of those votes, new kid on the block African Transformation Movement 10, DA 688, Maletswai Civic Association 24 and the ANC 522.

The DA won ward 3 in Walter Sisulu by 50.74%. The new ward councillor is Matthee de Ridder Nel.

Both the ANC and the DA welcomed the results and thanked those who voted.

DA provincial leader Nqaba Bhanga said winning the ward showed his party’s growth in the rural Eastern Cape and showed “the fact that people of the province are placing their trust in the DA”.

“This is testament to the fact that the people of the province have had enough of the uncaring, ineffective and corrupt ANC style of governance,” he said.

He added that the residents of Walter Sisulu loudly voiced they wanted the change that only a DA government could bring.

Where the DA governed, Bhanga said, the party prioritised better service delivery, orderly and safe communities and greater access to opportunities.

ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi welcomed the outcomes.