POLITICS

ANC KZN makes major in-roads in Phoenix by-elections

Party says the DA's support has concomitantly dwindled in the area

BY-ELECTIONS RESULTS SHOW ANC SUPPORT SOARS, DA'S DWINDLES

20 February 2014

The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal has again snatched a very crucial ward from the Democratic Alliance in yet another clear indication that our support in Indian, white and coloured areas continues to grow in leaps and bounds.

The ANC obtained a landslide victory in a hotly contested by-election in Ward 48 in Phoenix yesterday (19 February 2014). It is worth noting that the ANC jumped from 15 percent it obtained in the last election to 43.64 percent which is a colossal achievement.

The ANC also did wonders in another by-election in Ward 49 also in Phoenix yesterday by soaring from a paltry 646 votes it obtained during the 2011 local government elections to a whopping 1518. Although the DA managed to retain the ward, the results show that its support dropped from nearly 60 percent it received during the last election to 50.62 percent. The DA support has dwindled dramatically in Phoenix.

Commenting on the ANC's achievement in Phoenix, ANC Provincial Secretary, Sihle Zikalala said: "The victory is the reflection of a continuous increasing support of the ANC among all racial groups in our country. We are pleased that the ANC won Ward 48 and increased its performance in Ward 49. This re-affirms the support many Indian, coloured and white communities are giving to the ANC."

The ANC is not only scoring successes in Phoenix but in all other Indian, white and coloured dominated areas throughout the province. On Friday last week, the ANC welcomed about 300 members mostly from the Indian community in Isipingo, south of Durban while on Tuesday before the by-elections we welcomed 35 new members from the white community in Amanzimtoti South of Durban.

"The latest developments are an affirmation that all racial groups believe that the future of this country rests in the hands of the ANC and they also appreciates that it is only the ANC that has a political will and programme to take our country to a non-racial and prosperous society," added Zikalala.

Statement issued by Sihle Zikalala, ANC KwaZulu-Natal, February 20 2014

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