The ANC retained control of Buffalo City Metro’s wards 1 and 10 in Wednesday’s by-elections, dealing a setback to the South African Communist Party’s first major electoral test against its alliance partner in the metro.
The two contests were closely watched after the SACP announced it would contest elections independently, setting up a direct challenge to the ANC in what many political observers viewed as a precursor to November’s local government elections.
According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the ANC secured 54.25% of the 3,750 votes cast across the two wards.
Ward 1 attracted a crowded field of candidates from the ANC, SACP, DA, EFF and Patriotic Alliance. The seat became vacant after former ANC councillor Kuhle Ciliza resigned and later joined the Patriotic Alliance, contesting the ward under his new political home.
The outcome will be welcomed by ANC leaders as a sign that the party’s support base in Buffalo City remains intact despite growing political competition and persistent service delivery concerns in some communities.
For the SACP, the results represent a disappointing outcome after an energetic campaign aimed at positioning the party as a credible alternative to the ANC while maintaining its historic ties to the alliance. Although the party succeeded in raising its profile and generating interest among voters, it was unable to convert that momentum into victories in either ward.
The by-elections attracted attention beyond Buffalo City, with political analysts viewing the contests as an early indicator of how voters may respond to a more fragmented political landscape ahead of the local government elections scheduled for November.
The results also provide an early measure of support for the SACP’s decision to contest elections independently, a move that has tested the long-standing relationship between the two alliance partners.
With the ANC retaining both wards, the balance of power in the metro remains unchanged. However, the campaigns highlighted growing competition for support among traditional alliance constituencies and offered a glimpse of the political battles likely to shape the run-up to the November polls.
Detailed voting and turnout figures released by the IEC are expected to be closely analysed by political parties as they refine their strategies for the local government elections. -- DDC
