NELSPRUIT – Residents of Mpumalanga go to the polls this week to elect new ward councillors. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced last week that there were five vacant wards that would be contested in municipal by-elections on Wednesday.
Of the five wards, three are situated in the Lowveld, in Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM) and Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM). Ward 21 in MLM will be contested by Mr Mfanekiso Simon Thabethe of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Mr
Mulahleki Isaac Tlou of the ANC, and Ms Lorraine Alletah Twala, an independent candidate.
Ward 34 in MLM will be contested by Mr Sipho Douglas Mavuso of the ANC, Mr Mcosheni Hendry Nhlabathi, an independent candidate, and Mr Sifisa Kenneth Sibanyoni of the PAC.
In TCM, Ward 6 is being contested by Ms Juba Judith Mkhize of the ANC as well as Ms Soneth Mokoena and Mr Khomotso Maurice Nonyane, both independent candidates. According to the IEC, 25 403 voters are registered in the five wards. Voting stations will be open from 07:00 to 21:00.
General elections will be held next year. The date for the national and provincial elections has not yet been finalised. A registration weekend was held at the beginning of the month, but those who missed it can still register by appointment at their municipal electoral offices.
The IEC announced that the voters’ roll would close at 17:00 on the day the president proclaimed the date of the election, probably early in 2014.
