By-elections: ANC wins Nkomazi ward 10 by 45%

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By-elections: ANC wins Nkomazi ward 10 by 45%
TWILIGHT ZONE: While the axed councilors tried to put up a brave showing at the polls as independent candidates, the ANC managed to retain those wards albiet by a much lesser margin indicating the degree of damage inflicted on the party by factionalism. PICTURE BY News24

Leaders say the elections were so difficult after they were ravaged by factionalism.


The ANC has gotten 45% in the results of a highly contested by-election in Nkomazi’s Naas area.

The ward was contested by the ANC, EFF and an independent candidate on 31 August 2022 after the ANC expelled its councillor Vincent Nyambi who opted to contest as an independent candidate.

In the 2021 November local government elections, Nyambi as the ANC candidate won the ward by 72.63%.

But now the new candidate Irvin Sibiya of the ANC only got 44.87% and escaped losing the ward by a thin margin from Nyambi and the EFF’s Sunnyboy Mkhabela.

In Block B’s ward 3, the ANC got 66.64% – a decline from its November 2021 results of 73.52%. Only 27.19% of registered voters participated in this by-election.

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It was contested by the EFF’s Zanele Ngomane and independent candidate Jacob Mthethwa, also expelled from the ANC, and he lost it to the ANC’s candidate Wanda Ngomane…

“Our experience exposed us to the painful fact that the ANC does not have a branch in Ward three in the Nkomazi sub-region. We found that the branch, which we thought we had at ward three, worked against the ANC and supported an independent candidate,” ANC regional leader Jackie Macie told City Press.

“We cannot afford during this critical phase of renewal to have members and branches who unashamedly exhibit disunity and ill-discipline even in the face of communities,” he said.

The two councilors were expelled from the ANC in March 2022 together with rogue mayor Johanne Mkhatshwa, speaker Siphiwe Mashele, councillors Delile Mlangeni and Mumsy Khoza after they were hauled through a disciplinary hearing over accusations of defying the party.

Mkhatshwa – an ally of deputy president David Mabuza – won as mayor on 23 November 2021 after being voted in by councillors aligned to him despite having lost in the councillor interviews conducted by the ANC’s NEC.

Phindile Magagula came out top in the interview but could not be mayor as Mkhatshwa refused to vacate the position thus the ANC also hauled him before a disciplinary hearing.

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Nyambi was expelled for nominating Mkhatshwa as mayor and Mthethwa for seconding the nomination.

Mashele was expelled for availing herself for the post of council speaker while Khoza was given the boot for for nominating her.

(edited by MLM)

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