8-month-old MK party ascends to second place
Middelburg – The African National Congress (ANC) has maintained its dominance in ward 10 of the Steve Tshwete municipality during the by-elections conducted on Wednesday, 28 August 2024.
The fiercely contested by-elections, which aimed to fill a vacant position following the death of councillor Gift Maseko in June, took place in Eastdene and Hlalamnandi.
The ANC secured 52% of the votes, with the uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK) party coming in second at 20%.
The ANC’s performance exhibited a notable improvement of 13% compared to the local government elections in 2021.
On the opposite end, the Middelburg and Hendrina Residents Front (MHRF) saw a decrease from the 19% it garnered in 2021 to 17%.
The EFF, which recently mourned the loss of one of its prominent leader Floyd Shivambu to the MK party, performed disappointingly as its support dwindled from 17% to 11%.
Sello Matshoga, ANC Nkangala regional secretary, expressed his contentment on Thursday afternoon, stating that the results signify the continued trust of the populace in the party’s ability to enhance their livelihoods.
“The triumph clearly indicates that the masses maintain their faith in the movement and its leadership to revolutionize their circumstances for the better. We receive this outcome with humility, grounded in our enduring belief that serving our people is a privilege,” Matshoga joyfully remarked.
The MK party, merely 8 months old and participating in the by-elections for the first time, interpreted the results as a demonstration of the party’s potential for expansion.
Johanes Matshiane, the MK Steve Tshwete elections coordinator, remarked, “These outcomes, which we acknowledge, also serve as a foundation for evaluating our performance in the upcoming local government elections in 2026”.
“By 2026, a distinct political landscape will be evident at the local and regional levels,” Matshiane concluded.
