The African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) retained councillor seats in three by-elections held in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape, the Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said on Thursday.

The three by-elections were contested by 11 candidates representing six political parties on Wednesday.

The IFP retained its Ward 3 at Endumeni municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, beating the ANC, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the National Freedom Party (NFP). The position became vacant after the IFP terminated its councillor’s party membership.

The governing ANC received enough votes in Mpumalanga’s Nkomazi municipality to retain its Ward 10 seat, defeating the EFF and Congress of the People (Cope). The party also held onto Ward 4 at Northern Cape’s David Kruiper municipality against the Democratic Alliance (DA), Cope and EFF.

The ANC thanked its supporters for ensuring that it retained the two seats it won in the 2016 local government elections.
”The ANC does not take for granted the support it received in these and other by-elections. As we thank the electorate for their continued support and confidence in their movement, we urge the ANC leadership in those wards to work closely with the community to ensure timeous [service] delivery,” said the party’s national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa.