The Democratic Alliance (DA) is overjoyed in having won their first rural ward in Limpopo.
The DA claimed victory in Ward 5 during the by-election on 23 October. Ward 5 falls within the boundaries of the Makhado municipal area and comprises Olifantshoek and Tiyani village.
"In this deep rural area, traditionally an ANC stronghold, the communities have demonstrated their dissatisfaction with poor service delivery," said DA Limpopo provincial leader Mr Jacques Smalle on 24 October.
Smalle said that people in Ward 5 had set the politics of realignment on an irreversible trajectory in Limpopo. "This is a watershed victory for the DA in the province but, significantly, this augurs well for the coming 2014 general elections," Smalle said in a press release.
The DA candidate was Mr Miringo Patrick Mazibuko, who resigned his seat as independent councillor. In 2011, Mazibuko won Ward 5 with 46% of the votes to the ANC's 39%. This year, Mazibuko ran as DA candidate and he received more votes than the candidates of the African National Congress, the Congress of the People and the African People's Convention. The DA won with around 180 votes. The DA drew 39% of the votes, the ANC 33% and Cope 27%.
Since the local government elections of 2011, the DA's influence in this ward increased from above 1% to close to 39%.
The DA's council seats in the Makhado Municipality have increased from five to six seats. They now have six councillors: four councillors by proportional vote and two ward councillors, Cllr Brian du Plooy of Ward 21 and Cllr Mazibuko of Ward 5.The ANC holds 64 of the 75 seats in council, while Cope has three councillors, the ACDP one and the PAC one.
The DA's first rural win in South Africa was in Tswaing in North West and that was during the local government elections of 2011.
In reaction to the DA winning Ward 5, the ANC in Limpopo conceded defeat in a statement on Thursday. "We wish the DA well in coping with the stresses and strains of office that lie ahead. The ANC knows a little bit of what that is like. We know that the hearts of our members and supporters are heavy across the province ... We gave it all but it was not enough for us to win. We are proud that we will remain a viable fighting force for the future," the ANC stated.