Coin toss gives SACP victory in Steve Tshwete council tie
An extraordinary deadlock in Mpumalanga saw electoral officials resort to drawing lots after two leading political parties finished neck and neck.
A coin toss determined that the SACP took Ward 17 in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality after the party and the ANC received an equal number of votes.
The toss took place at the Results and Operations Centre at ANEW Resort White River on November 7.
Schedule 1, Section 8(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act allows the outcome of a vote to be determined by drawing lots should two candidates each receive the same number of votes and a coin toss is also considered acceptable.
Before the coin was tossed, Mpumalanga electoral officer Gugu Langa said both parties received 966 valid votes in Ward 17 during the elections, necessitating a coin toss to break the tie.
ALSO READ: Tourvest backs R3.1m Khomanani Agricultural Hub near Kruger National Park
Blessing Nkuna, the deputy provincial secretary of the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA)in Mpumalanga, said they were happy and impressed with the results.
“In the province more than 80 000 people voted for us [SACP] and that shows confidence in us. It shows confidence in the programme we implemented and shows confidence in our manifesto as an organisation. The manner in which we won Ward 17, it would have been a challenge if we didn’t win it. The fact that we have won, it shows that our resolve was ordained beyond the world of the living.
We have done this on behalf of Chris Hani, Joe Slovo, Ruth First and other fallen heroes of the SACP who would have loved to live and see this particular day,” said Nkuna.
ANC Mpumalanga provincial chairperson Mandla Ndlovu said they accept the outcome of the coin toss: “We accept it because it was fair. We lost because we went for tails not heads.”
New party gains ground in Victor Khanye
The newly formed Service Delivery Party (SDP) secured prominence in the Highveld region with a major victory in the Victor Khanye Local Municipality, winning five of the nine individual wards. It secured only seven out of 17 council seats, resulting in a hung council where it will need to form a coalition to govern.
ALSO READ: Mpumalanga police urge stokvel members to protect festive season savings
Beyond Victor Khanye, the party also registered support in other local municipalities, including Dipaleseng (12.96%), Steve Tshwete (12.79%) and Chief Albert Luthuli (10.37%).
