By-elections ran smoothly

By-elections ran smoothly in six provinces on Wednesday, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said.

 

"We still have two-and-a-half hours to go but so far so good," said IEC spokeswoman Kate Bapela.

 

"We are hoping that those people who have left work will go to voting stations and cast their ballot before going home."

 

Voting stations close at 9pm.

 

She said no incidents had been recorded on the commission's system.

 

Eleven wards were being contested by 35 candidates in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, and the Western Cape.

 

Six candidates were independent and the rest represented 10 political parties.

 

Bapela said 56,804 people had registered to vote, but she was unable to say how many had voted so far.

 

"Counting will start from around 10pm and results will start coming through from around midnight. The last results will come through at about 8am [on Thursday]," she said.

 

In the Eastern Cape, Ward 22 in Mbhashe (Dutywa) was being contested by independent candidate Mzekeleli Ndabangaye, African National Congress member Silulami Ndinisa, Inkatha Freedom Party candidate Axolile Ntunja, and Xolani Msenge, of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC).

 

The post became vacant after the ANC incumbent resigned.

 

Two by-elections were being held in Gauteng, one of them uncontested.

 

The only candidate in Ward Nine in Lesedi (Heidelberg) was Gerhard Holtzhausen. The ward was previously represented by the Democratic Alliance and became vacant after the councillor died.

 

Ward Four in Merafong City (Carletonville) was being contested by independent candidate Elias Matabane, ANC candidate Bukiwe Mafika, and DA candidate Vuyisile Mcunana. The previous councillor, an ANC member, died.

 

In KwaZulu-Natal, Ward 33 in eThekwini was contested by the ANC's Sandile Msibi, the DA's Nicole Graham, and the National Freedom Party's Nkosinathi Khanyile. The previous DA councillor resigned.

 

A Sapa reporter on scene said voting during the day was slow.

 

Ethekwini caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango, who was at a voting station at Glenwood Preparatory school, said he expected the number of voters to increase in the evening after people finished work.

 

Mncwango said the DA expected Graham to win.

 

"We chose her, because we wanted an experienced councillor in the ward," he said.

 

In Limpopo, Ward Eight in Giyani was being contested by Makoma Modjela of the ANC, Morris Ngobeni of the African People's Convention, Matome Sethibela of the Congress of the People, and Thulase Sithole of the Ximoko Party. The ward's ANC councillor died.

 

Ten by-elections were to have been held in North West, but five were postponed after an order by the Electoral Court, and a sixth after an agreement by counsel. Four by-elections went ahead.

 

Contesting Ward Two in Zeerust were Pogiso Maetla of the ANC, Lesego Leka of the  Azanian People's Organisation, and Lorraine Melamu of the United Christian Democratic Party.

 

The ward was previously held by the ANC and became vacant after the councillor resigned.

 

Three by-elections were being held in Tlokwe (Potchefstroom) to replace ANC councillors expelled by the party. Ward Six was being contested by Bosigo Monaisa of the ANC, Lesego Malepe of Azapo, Johannes Coetzee of the DA, and Mawela Dinko of the UCDP.

 

Ward 18 in Tlokwe was being contested by independent candidate Xolile Kham, Thapelo Skozana of the ANC, Matladi Mofokeng of Azapo, and Molebatsi Lehloo of the UCDP.

 

Ward 26, also in Tlokwe, was being contested by independent candidate Butikie Mahlabe, Matiche Mogoshane of the ANC, and Moeketsi Phakedi of the UCDP.

 

Two by-elections were taking place in the Western Cape.

 

One was in Ward Six in Drakenstein (Paarl). This by-election was contested by independent candidate Sithembiso Magqazana, Tryphina Nomana of the ANC, and Zeniwokhe Ndwanya of the DA. The ward's ANC councillor was expelled from the party.

 

Ward Eight in Mossel Bay was being contested by independent candidate Nicolaas Lodewyks, Francois du Plessis of the ANC, and the Dirk Kotze of the DA. The ward's DA councillor was expelled from the party.

 

-Sapa