KZN BY-ELECTION RESULTS SHOW TRUST IN ANC AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

The overwhelming support the African National Congress received during the by-elections held in different parts of KwaZulu-Natal yesterday give a clear picture of the support our movement continues to enjoy among people of this province ahead of the May 7 general elections.

Not only has the ANC retained its three wards convincingly but it also dramatically increased its support in two wards which were previously regarded as strongholds of other political parties.

In a foretaste of what will happen in the May 7 general elections, the ANC received a whopping 1020 votes at Vryheid Municipality's Ward 22 while the IFP only received just over 300 votes. The ANC is delighted that the people of Ward 22 finally have a representative who will champion their service delivery interests after several attempts by Andre Lotter to stall the by-election through court action.

It is worth noting that in Nongoma Municipality's Ward 4, the ANC received more votes than the IFP, a clear indication that the area is no longer an IFP heartland. The impressive gains the ANC has made in Ward 4 occurred barely five months after the ANC snatched Ward 5 from the IFP during a by-election in Nongoma.

In Umtshezi Municipality's Ward 4, the ANC received 1005 votes while the IFP only received just above 60 votes and in Vulamehlo Municipality, the ANC received 81 percent of the vote while the IFP only received a meagre 6 percent.

The results of the by-elections are without a doubt a vote of confidence in the African National Congress ahead of the national and provincial elections. It is clear that the people of KwaZulu-Natal appreciate the strides that the ANC government and our municipalities are making in KwaZulu-Natal.

Statement issued by ANC Provincial Secretary, Sihle Zikalala, March 27 2014

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