There’s a lot at stake for the ANC in today’s by-elections in Potchefstroom, with control of the Tlokwe municipal council at stake.
Nine by-elections due to take place in various wards in the North West, after the ANC expelled 14 councillors for joining forces with the DA in order to vote their mayor out of office.
Presently the ANC has 20 seats and the DA 19, while the remaining three are split between Cope and the Freedom Front Plus.
Several high-ranking ANC officials have been in the area recently. Last week Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini handed out food parcels to the community.
However, she has denied accusations that she was trying to buy votes.
Political analyst Susan Booysen says the ANC has much to prove in this election.
“Let’s say they come out with 55% or 60% of the vote in a ward where less than two years ago they had 91%. That would be seen as serious embarrassment for the ANC. The ANC does not want this kind of embarrassment less than a year before a big national election.”
Booysen said the biggest threat is not the DA but a former ANC branch chair who is standing as an independent candidate.
The Independent Electoral Commission will announce the results at midnight on Wednesday. – eNCA