By-election victory and surge in support highlight renewed voter confidence
MIDDELBURG—The African National Congress (ANC) has not only maintained its dominance in two Mpumalanga wards following the recent by-elections held on August 28 but also managed to increase its voter support compared to the 2021 local government elections.
Paulos Macaleni Mnisi and Bhekumuzi Sunboy Makhubela are the newly elected ANC councillors for wards 10 and 17, respectively, following the party’s triumph. In Steve Tshwete’s ward 10, the party retained its position from the 2021 local government elections with a 51.57% victory. Meanwhile, in Nkomazi Municipality’s ward 17, the ANC secured an impressive 81.09% of the votes.
Nkomazi Municipality saw a notable 10% increase from the 72% garnered by the party in the 2021 local government elections, while Steve Tshwete experienced a significant 12.65% rise from the initial 38.75%. Steve Tshwete recorded a 29.88% voter turnout, representing a 16.88% variance from Nkomazi.
In ward 10, the ANC faced fierce competition from uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and the Middelburg and Hendrina Residents Front (MHRF). In Nkomazi, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) joined the electoral fray alongside the EFF and MK.
ANC provincial secretary Muzi Chirwa emphasised the importance of this victory for the party in the province. “It arrives at a juncture where sceptics and adversaries of the democratic cause were prematurely drafting the epitaph of our illustrious movement, following our lacklustre performance in the 2024 general elections,” he stated.
Chirwa added, “The electoral victory and surge in voter support convey a resounding message that our constituents place their unwavering trust solely in the ANC to combat poverty, unemployment, inequality, and corruption. This upsurge in voter backing unequivocally showcases the relentless efforts of the ANC in the province to reclaim lost ground from previous elections and to strive for markedly improved results in the upcoming 2026 local government elections.”
The by-elections were conducted to fill the vacancies left by the untimely demise of Thabo Ngwenya, the ward 17 councillor who was tragically shot and killed at his residence in Nkomazi in April, and Gift Maseko, the ward 10 councillor who passed away in June after battling a prolonged illness.
The ANC’s increased voter support is seen as a sign that the party can still be trusted to fight poverty, unemployment, inequality, and corruption.
