Electoral Commission on provisional results of by-elections held on 11 November 2020

12 Nov 2020

Introduction:

The Electoral Commission is pleased with the successful holding of by-elections across 55 municipalities in all nine provinces yesterday which were overwhelmingly calm, peaceful and smooth.

These elections were extraordinary in that they were the first to be held in South Africa under COVID-19 conditions and were the largest number of by-elections held on a single day in our history.

The Commission is also encouraged by the turnout of voters which is within the range for by-elections held since the 2016 Municipal Elections. The average turnout yesterday was 37.83 percent compared to an average of 38.73 percent over the past four years. The highest turnout recorded yesterday was 75.29 percent which was recorded in ward 4 of the Port St Johns municipality in the Eastern Cape.

Given the fact this was the first elections conducted during COVID-19, that election day was a normal working day and given the inclement weather in many parts of the country especially in KwaZulu-Natal, the success of the elections bodes well for the upcoming Municipal Elections scheduled for 2021.

The Electoral Commission wishes to express its gratitude to those voters who came out to vote and for following the COVID-19 protocols strictly and without complaint

We also express our thanks to the political parties, their candidates and agents for their support, cooperation and contribution to the success of these by-elections.

Thanks must also be extended to the South African Police Services (SAPS) for being a constantly dependable partner in the delivery of safe and peaceful elections.

The Commission wishes to express its gratitude to the Electoral Court for providing judicial clarity and condonation to conduct these elections outside of the 90-day period.

Finally, our gratitude goes to the media for generating extraordinary interest in these by-elections.

Community protests:

Despite the overwhelmingly smooth, calm and peaceful conducting of by-elections yesterday, the Commission is saddened and concerned by the disruptions caused to voting procedures earlier in the day in two wards.

The opening of voting stations was significantly delayed in ward 130 (Naledi, Soweto) in the City of Johannesburg and at one voting station in ward 13 in Amahlathi Municipality in the Eastern Cape.

Protests over service delivery targeted voting stations in these areas including blocking the access to voting stations of both election officials and voters. Through the intervention of the SAPS along with provincial and municipal leaders, voting was able to finally get underway at around midday.

The Commission supports the right of communities to protest peacefully in a manner that does not infringe on the rights of citizens to vote and to voice their views through democratic processes.

The Commission is grateful for the swift intervention of the SAPS and interventions by community and political leaders to resolve these situations. The Commission calls on the SAPS to take decisive action against anyone whose actions impeded the holding of free and fair elections.

The Commission calls on leaders from political parties, community structures, religious and civic organisations along with traditional authorities to work with the Electoral Commission to ensure that future by-elections and the 2021 Municipal Elections are not disrupted or impacted by protest action.

National results overview:

The results by party of the 95 wards contested yesterday are as follows:

The African National Congress:

retained 64 wards

lost 2 wards

and won 6 new wards.

The Democratic Alliance:

retained 14 wards

lost 9 wards

won 2 new wards

The Inkatha Freedom Party:

retained 4 wards

won 1 new ward

The Patriotic Alliance:

won 1 new ward

The Good Party:

won 1 new ward

Al Jama-Ah:

won 1 new ward

The Vryheidsfront Plus:

won 1 new ward

The National Freedom Party:

lost 1 ward

The United Front of Civics Party:

lost 1 ward

With regards to the Economic Freedom Fighters, there was no change in the position of the party in the ward by-elections. (0 retained, 0 lost, 0 won)

Provincial results overview:

In the Eastern Cape:

Of the nineteen (19) wards that were contested the African National Congress (ANC) retained eighteen (18) seats and the Democratic Alliance (DA) won one (1) seat from the ANC in the province. Voter turnout in the province on average was 36.85%

In the Free State:

Of the four (4) wards that were contested the ANC retained three (3) seats and the DA won one (1) seat from the United Front of Civics Party which won that seat in by-elections held on 23 August 2017. Voter turnout in the province on average was 40.23%

In Gauteng:

Of the fourteen (14) wards that were contested the ANC retained ten (10) seats and won two (2) seats from the DA. Al Jama-Ah won one (1) seat from the DA as did the Patriotic Alliance. Voter turnout in the province on average was 24.49%

In KwaZulu-Natal:

Of the twelve (12) wards that were contested the ANC retained three (3) seats and won one (1) seat from the National Freedom Party which won the seat in by-elections held on 21 August 2019.  The DA retained three (3) seats. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) retained four (4) and won one (1) seat from the ANC.  Voter turnout in the province on average was 38.87%

In Limpopo:

Of the four (4) wards that were contested the ANC retained all four (4) seats. Voter turnout in the province on average was 41.24%

In Mpumalanga:

Of the five (5) wards that were contested the ANC retained three (3) seats and the DA retained two (2) seats. Voter turnout in the province on average was 29.94%

In the North West:

Of the six (6) wards that were contested the ANC retained four (4) seats and won one (1) seat from the DA and the Vryheidsfront Plus (FF+) won one (1) seat from the DA. Voter turnout in the province on average was 34.99%

In the Northern Cape:

Of the twenty (20) wards that were contested the ANC retained seventeen (17) seats and won two (2) seats from the DA.  The DA retained one (1) seat. Voter turnout in the province on average was 49.31%

In the Western Cape:

Of the eleven (11) wards that were contested the ANC retained two (2) seats and the DA retained eight (8) seats. The Good Party won one (1) seat from the DA. Voter turnout in the province on average was 37.60%

Results of dissolved councils:

The results of the by-elections in the two dissolved councils in the Northern Cape are as follows:

NC075 – Renosterberg:

African National Congress: won 4 seats (compared to 4 seats it won in 2016)

Democratic Alliance: won 2 seats (compared to 3 seats in 2016)

Economic Freedom Fighters: won 1 seat (compared to 0 seats in 2016)

NC- Phokwane:

African National Congress: won 10 seats (compared to 12 seats it won in 2016)

Economic Freedom Fighters: won 5 seats (compared to 3 seats in 2016)

Democratic Alliance: won 2 seats (compared to 3 seats in 2016)

African Independent Congress: 1 seat (compared to 1 seat in 2016)

Vryheidsfront Plus: won 1 seat (compared to 0 seats in 2016)

Conclusion:

In conclusion on behalf of the Electoral Commission we wish to express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family of Auditor-General Mr Kimi Makwetu as well as to the staff of the AGSA.

As a chairperson of a fellow Chapter 9 Constitutional institution and a former chairperson of the Forum for Institutional Supporting Democracy, Mr Makwetu was a key pillar in the pursuit, safeguarding and development of our democracy.

He was a person of the utmost integrity, and dedication and commitment to the values of our Constitution. We mourn his passing as a great loss to our country.

Note to media: 

When comparing the results of the by-elections to the 2016 Municipal Election results, please note that the following three wards had intervening by-elections:

FS184 – Matjhabeng ward 3: Won by the United Front of Civics on 23 August 2017

KZN242 – Nqutu ward 15: Won by the Inkatha Freedom Party on 24 May 2017

KZN245 – uMvoti ward 7 won by National Freedom Party on 21 August 2019

A full list of the by-election results for each ward including the successful candidates and comparisons to 2016 Municipal Election is available on the Electoral Commission website www.elections.org.za(link is external)

Issued by the Independent Electoral Commission(link is external), 12 November 2020