Four political parties have nominated candidates for the by-election in Makhado Municipality's Ward 9. The election is expected to be closely contested, and while the ANC may risk losing some support, no single party is expected to dethrone them.
Ward 9 is considered one of the "town" wards, covering the area west of the N1 in Louis Trichardt, along with the area north of the town. It includes Eltivillas, Matshavhawe, and Khunda villages.
The seat became vacant with the death of Cllr Kanukani Maphubu in January after a short illness. Maphubu, who represented the ANC, was also a member of the municipality's executive committee and served as the Portfolio Head for Sport, Arts, and Culture. Additionally, he was a member of the Pastors Forum and served on the Disaster Management Committee.
The by-election is scheduled for 2 April, with the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) and the African People's Convention (APC) fielding candidates. The ANC has nominated Khumbudzo Madzhini, while the DA is pinning its hopes on Marietjie Wentzel. The MKP, a newcomer to the local political scene, has put forward Ranie Naidoo. The APC has nominated Fhatuwani Mugwena.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has urged voters to check their registration status and register if necessary. Residents can also check their registration details on the IEC's website: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/voter/voter-information.
The MK Party's provincial coordinator, Tshilidzi Maraga, expressed optimism about the party's prospects in Makhado Municipality. He said that residents across all races and genders had given them a mandate to defend democracy. He added that the party's membership was growing at a phenomenal rate. "People have been telling us that South Africa is tired of rhetorical leadership and now needs real change," he said.
In the 2021 local elections, the ANC secured 55.08% of the votes in Ward 9, winning 1,090 votes compared to the DA's 622 (31.4%) and the EFF's 53 (2.68%).
During last year's general elections, the ANC increased its support in the ward, securing 59.58% of the provincial votes. The DA collected 19.36%, while the MK Party, contesting for the first time, secured only 1.21%.
If discontent with the ANC's governance is high enough, opposition parties may strengthen their position. However, a coalition between the DA and the MK Party seems unlikely.
(The article has been adapted following information received from the IEC. The initial article stated that there were only three candidates contesting the election, whereas there are four. The name of the APC candidate was added. The original article also referred to a registration weekend on 15 and 16 March, which is incorrect. The registration weekend was held on 15 and 16 February. We apologise for the incorrect information. - Ed)