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This is the largest by-election in South African history and takes place in a single day with 107 seats up for grabs in 95 districts. More than 400 candidates will compete in 55 municipalities of the nine provinces.
FILE: A female voter placing her marked ballots at the local and national polls on May 8, 2019. Image: EWN
CAPE TOWN – Starting at 7 a.m. M., Voters will go to the polls to participate in by-elections across the country.
This is the largest by-election in South African history and takes place in a single day with 107 seats up for grabs in 95 districts. More than 400 candidates will compete in 55 municipalities of the nine provinces.
Eleven districts are in dispute in the Western Cape.
The big political parties will fight against the smaller ones for control of the districts in the province.
There will be key battles in townships like George and Knysna.
Former George Mayor Melvin Naik was removed from office by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said the party must work to repair the damage caused by former Knysna Mayor Mark Willemse, who is now an independent candidate.
“IF voters continue to vote for individuals, the status quo will remain in Knysna. We hope to win those two districts.”
Ronalda Nalumango of the African National Congress (ANC) said they were pushing hard in these districts as well.
“The two by-elections that are being held there could influence the council, but we remain positive as the ANC and the processes that were put in place should be able to give us victory in the municipality of Knysna.”
Nalumango said Cape Town would always be important.
“The by-elections that are taking place in Cape Town, two of those districts are stronghold districts of the ANC and we are going to retain those two districts.”
The Good Party will take place today in six districts: four in George, one in Saldana and one in Langa in Cape Town.
Brett Herron of the party said that although they were called a small party, they were a new party that presented a new alternative to voters.
“Voters and communities are disillusioned with the old parties. They are fatigued and frustrated with the broken promises and the response to our knocking on doors and communicating with voters on issues that concern them and we are seeing tremendous response from candidates. local”.
And the Freedom Front Plus will compete in 23 districts. Party leader Pieter Groenewald said they wanted to make sure there were coalition governments.
He added that the district attorney needed a watchdog and that they could fill that role, but they would never form a coalition with the ANC.
“The projection of the 2019 elections, we are collecting it in these elections now. We also believe that in the municipal elections that trend will continue.”
EXPLANATOR: What are by-elections?
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