The Democratic Alliance (DA) has retained a ward in a by-election held in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro in Eastern Cape province.

The Wednesday by-election saw five political parties contest for the ward.

''The party retained the seat it won in the 2016 municipal elections with an increased margin of 92.9 percent of the votes cast compared to 85.7 percent in the municipal elections. Voter turnout yesterday was 36.77 (percent),'' the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa said on Thursday.

The council post became vacant after the DA representative was expelled from the party.