POLOKWANE – Vacancies in wards 20 and 23, and the necessary by-elections due to take place on August 13, have set the scene for a very tough battle between the DA and the ANC in the city, especially in ward 20.
Both wards are DA seats from which councillors resigned. Lindy Wilson (ward 20) resigned to take up a position as member of parliament for the DA and Anne Kirkpatrick (ward 23) resigned due to poor health.
During the 2011 municipal elections the ANC won ward 20 by a small margin, receiving 47,66%, with the DA receiving 41,07% of the 3 732 votes cast.
In a subsequent by-election in 2012, after the resignation of the ANC ward councillor, Wilson won with 62,87 % of the votes.
Ward 23 was won comfortably by the DA during the May 2011 elections.
Anne Kirkpatrick drew 64, 26% of the 3 548 votes cast, while the ANC won 24,48% of the votes.
Noah Mamabolo is the ANC’s candidate for ward 20. He has been a ward committee member for the ward, handled the community safety portfolio and knows his community.
The DA’s candidate in ward 20 is Franco Marx, a well-known attorney in the city.
Dorcas Mogano, the ANC’s ward 23 candidate, is an ANC Women’s League convener and branch executive committee leader.
Roelof Lourens is the DA candidate in ward 23. He is a seasoned councillor and served as ward councillor in the Greater Tubatse Municipality since 2010.
Special votes:
The cut-off date to request a special vote is August 1.
On August 12 special votes can be cast at voting stations between 08:00 and 17:00 and home visits will be conducted for special voters such as the disabled and the elderly who requested this service.
