The African National Congress (ANC) retained its seats in the North West and the Free State by-elections, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said on Thursday.

The ANC retained ward 17 in the Mafikeng municipality with an increased margin of 59,55 percent of votes compared to 56,57 percent the 2016 municipal election. Voter turnout was 38.78 percent.

The new councillor is Kenneth Zwelibanzi Ntamehlo.

In the Free State, Patricia Tlhobelo is the new ANC councillor in ward 11 of Ngwathe municipality.

The party retained the seat it won in the 2016 municipal elections, with 76.47 percent of the votes cast compared to 83.22 percent in the 2016 municipal elections. Voter turnout  was 40.71 percent.