POLITICS

A melancholy battle won for COPE

The victories of the new party in the Western Cape are counterbalanced by significant individual defeats

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