SEDIBENG. – The 2016 local government elections have been an eye-opener for the African National Congress. The ANC should never have underestimated the power of the voices of the masses.
The ruling party saw its support dwindling throughout the country and in some places losing to the opposition. In Sedibeng the promises the ANC made that it would win the Midvaal Local Municipality proved to be just that, promises. The Democratic Alliance (DA) retained their leadership of the municipality with 42,772 votes, garnering a total of 17 party seats in the municipality (11 ward seats and 6 PR) while the ANC attained 22,984 votes garnering 9 party seats in the municipality (4 ward seats and 5 PR). The Economic Freedom Front (EFF) managed to win 2 PR seats.
The ANC, however, managed to retain their leadership position in the Emfuleni and Lesedi Local Municipalities with the party receiving a total of 217, 465 votes in Emfuleni, winning 50 seats (37 wards and 13 PR) while in Lesedi it (ANC) received 37, 717 votes winning a total of 16 seats (10 wards and 6 PR).
The DA won 6 seats in Lesedi Local Municipality (3 wards and 3 PR) while in Emfuleni Local Municipality the DA won 22 seats (8 wards and 14 PR)
New arrival EFF made inroads in both Emfuleni and Lesedi with a total of 47,679 votes winning 11 PR seats in the Emfuleni Local Municipality and 3 PR seats in Lesedi.
