By-elections: ANC lose control of Nkandla, as DA and EFF struggle

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is set to release the full official results from this week’s by-elections at midday on Thursday. Although the data is still pouring in, it seems we have one considerable upset on the cards. Nkandla – the site of Jacob Zuma’s sprawling homestead – has now turned its back on the ANC.

Latest by-elections results

Local residents have instead decided to give their backing to the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). They have won 61% of the vote here, in comparison to the 39% gained by the ANC. A near 30-point swing has won it for the outsiders – although the IFP has controlled Nkandla in previous years.

Nkandla leaves ANC control

The new council in Nkandla is now made up of a majority of IFP representatives. No other party apart from the ANC was elected to serve in this region of KwaZulu-Natal. Significant gains in eThekwini and Umlazi – as well as holding vital regions elsewhere in the province – made these by-elections a successful exercise for the IFP.

By-elections summary for Thursday 12 November

We may not have reached the end of the road in terms of voting, but our key takeaways from the by-elections include:

  • The ANC is on course to win 12 out of 14 available wards in Gauteng. They lost one ward to the DA in Eastern Cape.
  • The DA hasn’t had a great time, though. They lost a total of four wards in Gauteng to the ANC, Al-Jamaah, and Patriotic Alliance.
  • The Blues lost a ward to the Good Party in the Western Cape, and two switched to the FF Plus in North West.
  • The EFF has seen its support grow in several wards across the country – but has failed to win a single seat so far.
  • You can count the ANC, the IFP, and the FF Plus as the night’s big winners. The DA look set for the wooden spoon.
  • No Nkandla, no problem from the ANC…


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