Political parties gear up for Wednesday by-election in east

It’s all systems go for Wednesday’s by-elections in nine wards in Tshwane, one of the ward 44 in Pretoria east.

The electoral commission has prepared several voting stations for the byelections in the ward, which consists of Faerie Glen, parts of Garsfontein and Boardwalk.

Stations will be at the Bright Beginnings Nursery School, Kerk Valleisig, Tomorrow’s People College, Nederduitsch Gereformeerd Church and Tent Tweefontein in Faerie Glen, and Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Boardwalk and Lex Mundi Gemeente church in Garsfontein.

As the by-elections take place during the Covid-19 outbreak, the electoral commission urged voters visiting the stations to wear masks or appropriate face covering and observe social distancing.

Hand-sanitising facilities, as well as stationery for the voting, will be provided at each of the stations.

Eligible voters can find out more about where, when and how to register by visiting the electoral commission website at www.elections.org.za.

Ward 44 was previously held by the DA since 2016 until February, when councillor Ernst Botha resigned.

Botha resigned after he went on leave in December 2020, before travelling to New Zealand due to family commitments. This stirred tensions in the Tshwane council.

Tshwane ANC opened a case of fraud and corruption against Botha for “wrongful payments received without doing their work”, claims which remain up for investigation.

DA chief whip Christiaan (Christo) van den Heever has been the acting councillor of the ward while waiting for the by-election and has since been nominated by the DA to contest to occupy the position permanently.

A resident of Garsfontein for the past 13 years, Van den Heerver is the DA’s chief whip in the Tshwane council. He holds a BA degree in physical education and a BA Hons (history).

Several political parties have announced candidates’ names contesting the by-election.

Nick Pascoe of the Freedom Front Plus has previously served as a ward councillor in the area. He was chairperson of the CPF in Garsfontein and also served in the governing body of the Hoërskool Garsfontein.

Bongani Ramontja will stand as an EFF candidate.

Ramontja said he developed a deep interest in politics in 2019, engaging on the issues of housing and land.

For the ANC, Thembisile Nwedamutswu a 21-year-old student at the University of Pretoria is hopeful.

Nwedamutswu said her passion for politics was birthed by her family which she described as a “heavily political family”.

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