JOHANNESBURG - The results of the by-elections in the Western Cape represented the most significant electoral reverse for the ANC since 1994. It lost 24 out of 27 ward seats it had held previously across the province. Admittedly, the scale of this defeat was probably exaggerated by the fact that it was barred by the IEC from participating in 12 seats in Cape Town (8) and Citrusdal (4) due to a cock-up in registration.
For the Congress of the People (COPE) though, the gains at the expense of the ANC did not constitute an unequivocal triumph. Their victories as a ‘party' were offset by some significant individual defeats. Most of the 27 seats became open due to resignations or expulsions from the ANC of ward councillors, following the breakaway. In 24 of the 27 seats these former ANC councillors stood again as COPE independents. In 10 constituencies - in six of which the ANC was blocked from fielding candidates - they were able to win back their seats. But in the other 14 they failed - losing to the DA (in 6), the ID (in 5), and the ANC (in 3.) See Table.
| Former ANC councillors who stood as COPE independents December 2008 Western Cape by-elections | |||||||
| Municipality | Ward Winner 2006 | Party | % vote | Stood again | Winner December 2008 by-elections | Party | % vote |
| Cape Town | MONWABISI GODFREY MBALISWANA | ANC | 65.4 | YES | MONWABISI GODFREY MBALISWANA | Independent | 63.0 |
| Cape Town | GLENVILLE BONGANI MINI | ANC | 95.4 | YES | GLENVILLE BONGANI MINI | Independent | 83.2 |
| Cape Town | BOYISILE MAFILIKA | ANC | 81.0 | YES | BOYISILE MAFILIKA | Independent | 75.6 |
| Cape Town | NOMATAMSANQA MAXENCIA MSUTHU | ANC | 56.0 | NO | FAIZA ADAMS | DA | 51.7 |
| Cape Town | XOLILE OWEN GOPHE | ANC | 87.3 | YES | XOLILE OWEN GOPHE | Independent | 46.6 |
| Cape Town | WANDILE ANDIE NKWELE | ANC | 39.4 | YES | NATALIE LORRAINE BENT | DA | 68.8 |
| Cape Town | NOMAMFENE THERESA BOTTOMAN | ANC | 92.9 | YES | NOMAMFENE THERESA BOTTOMAN | Independent | 82.2 |
| Cape Town | MZWANDILE PETTERSON MATIWANE | ANC | 59.5 | YES | MZWANDILE PETTERSON MATIWANE | Independent | 74.8 |
| Vredendal | JOSHUA JACKIE KLAASEN | ANC | 63.3 | YES | DELINA SUSAN GOEDEMAN | ID | 33.8 |
| Citrusdal | JAN MEYER | ANC | 47.9 | YES | JUDITH MOUTON | DA | 51.2 |
| Citrusdal | JULIANA FRANSIENA MAKUTOANE | ANC | 44.0 | YES | BENJAMIN VAN ROOY | ID | 65.4 |
| Citrusdal | BUYISWA CYLDA RWEXWANA | ANC | 45.8 | YES | KOOS BRANDT | DA | 55.4 |
| Citrusdal | PETER JOHN PETERSEN | ANC | 49.3 | YES | QUINTIN GROENEWALD | DA | 39.4 |
| Velddrif | RAYNOLD MATHEW VAN ROOY | ANC | 74.8 | YES | RAYNOLD MATHEW VAN ROOY | Independent | 53.3 |
| Paarl | CLAUD RUSCHELL JULIES (crossed floor) | ID | 48.0 | YES | RUTH BELLDINE ARNOLDS | ID | 31.1 |
| Paarl | SPASIE NONTUTHUZELO KIKA | ANC | 41.3 | YES | SPASIE NONTUTHUZELO KIKA | Independent | 29.3 |
| Paarl | VAN DER BERG JOHANNES PIENAAR | ANC | 34.0 | YES | JOYCE ANN KROUTZ | DA | 35.7 |
| Paarl | FRANS KOOPMAN | ANC | 38.5 | NO | FRANS ALBERTUS KELLERMAN | DA | 32.4 |
| Paarl | DANIEL ANDREAS KOTZE | ANC | 45.0 | YES | GERALD JOHN WITBOOI | ID | 55.1 |
| Worcester | FREDDIE SPEELMAN | ANC | 51.9 | YES | FREDDIE SPEELMAN | Independent | 43.3 |
| Worcester | BETTIE FORTUIN | ANC | 66.6 | YES | CURNELL NELIE BARENDS | ANC | 59.7 |
| Worcester | PHILIP TYIRA | ANC | 68.5 | YES | PHILIP TYIRA | Independent | 49.1 |
| Worcester | LUVUYO KELEPU | ANC | 98.7 | YES | NCEBA SINDILIBA NDYALVAN | ANC | 63.3 |
| Robertson | KHANYILE IVAN KLAAS | ANC | 76.2 | YES | NONTEMBISO ELLEN MPOKOTYE | ANC | 64.0 |
| Caledon | GRAVEN HENRY JACOBUS SASS | ANC | 46.7 | NO | KIRO JACOBIE TIEMIE | DA | 34.1 |
| Caledon | BONGIWE BLOSSOM MKHWIBISO | ANC | 40.1 | YES | JAMES JOHANNES JACOBUS PHEIFFER | ID | 45.7 |
| Caledon | JAFTHA SWARTS | ANC | 49.0 | YES | SAMUEL FREDERICKS | DA | 36.9 |
