NEWCASTLE – Despite an election fraught with surprises, local governance will not change hands.
The African National Congress (ANC) retained control over the Amajuba District, plus Newcastle, Utrecht and Dannhauser, achieving over 50 per cent of the vote in all four.
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This vetoes any need for a coalition, as is the case elsewhere in the country.
According to national media reports, KwaZulu-Natal achieved the highest voter turnout nationwide during the 2016 Municipal Elections.
However, Newcastle, Utrecht and Dannhauser were listed among areas with low turnout.
The IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) called on parties in highlighted areas to go ‘back to the drawing board’ and assess voting campaigns.
“We did not do well in those areas,” said IEC operations manager, Ntombifuthi Masinga.
Irrespective of this, the ANC claimed the lion’s share of wards in Newcastle, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) claimed wards 2, 3 and 4.
This meant the ANC boasted 41 seats on local council.
With a number of municipalities claimed provincially, and 16 per cent of the local vote, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) takes 11 seats, while the DA has six.
Dubbed the king-maker, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has five seats on council.
After the final votes tally, a seat apiece goes to Royal Loyal Progess (RLP), the Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO), the People’s Revolutionary Movement (PRM) and the Freedom Front (VF PLUS).
Former parliamentarian, Lourie Bosman was announced as the VF’s council representative.
Mr Bosman is a member of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, and served as DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training between 2012 and 2014.
After this term, he joined VF PLUS in the run-up to the Municipal Elections.
In Newcastle, independent parties claimed just over one percent of local votes, while the African Christian Democratic Party narrowly missed out on a seat in council.
