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ANC snatches back Limpopo seat from collapsing EFF in landslide win

ANC snatches back Limpopo seat from collapsing EFF in landslide win
Wayne Sussman
By Wayne Sussman
12 Dec 2024
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The ANC won back a seat from the EFF in convincing fashion in the final Limpopo by-election of the year. This historic seat was won by the EFF in 2021.

Ward 30 (Roossenekal Sango) Elias Motsoaledi, Sekhukhune: ANC 71% (37%) EFF 22% (47%) MK 6% MAC 1% (2%) SAMEBA 1% (1%) TRUTH <1% Bolsheviks < 1%


The setting: The bulk of Ward 30’s voters are in the small town of Roossenekal, which is on the R555 regional road linking Stofberg in Mpumalanga and Burgersfort in Limpopo. Ward 30 is next to the border with Mpumalanga. The village of Sango has a large chunk of voters as well, and sits right on the provincial border. The main tourist landmark in the area is Mapoch’s Caves, which are of historical and geological importance. Roossenekal is also known for its yellow arum lilies. The town has a festival to honour this beautiful flower. The municipality is named after Rivonia trialist and ANC leader Elias Motsoaledi, who was the uncle of Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi. 

Elias Motsoaledi forms part of the ANC heartland district of Sekhukhune. Other towns in the district include Burgersfort, Groblersdal and Mmashadi (formerly Jane Furse). 

The 2021 local government elections: The EFF shocked the ANC here, beating it by 178 votes. The ANC won five of the nine voting districts and the EFF four. The ANC won in the village of Sango, beating the EFF by 68 votes, but turnout was very low in this ANC stronghold at only 33% compared with the average of 47%. The EFF won the most populous Roossenekal voting district by 145 votes. Turnout here was 49%. In the third-most-populous voting district, around Mohlarekoma Secondary School in Roossenekal, the EFF beat the ANC by 110 votes. The ANC was unable to close the gap created by the EFF in these two districts. 

The ANC won 36 of the 61 seats in the municipality. The party lost five seats, with the bulk of those going to the EFF. The EFF grew from 10 to 14, while the DA came third with four, losing a seat in the election. The Bolsheviks also lost a seat, sliding from three to two. The Mpumalanga Party gained a seat to send two councillors to the chamber. Two other parties won a single seat on the council. 

The 2024 provincial elections: The ANC won 67% of the vote in Ward 30, the same return from 2019. The EFF grew by 1% to get 16%. It might have grown but was well off its 2021 showing. The DA was third on 10%, the same as 2019. The uMkhonto Wesizwe party came fifth with 2%, behind the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).

The ANC won 63% in Elias Motsoaledi, down 5% from its 2019 result. The EFF inched from from 18% to 19%, followed by the DA (7%, the same as in 2019). The Bolsheviks pipped MK for fourth spot, with both parties getting 3%. 

The by-election: Ward councillor Mampana Moleke’s EFF membership was terminated. The ANC won the by-election by a landslide. It beat its 2016 percentage by 10% points. It swept every single voting district. The party won more than 70% of the vote in seven of the nine districts. It derailed the opposition at the Roossenekal Railway Station, winning 92%. The ANC only obtained the support of 27% of the voters here in 2021. The EFF declined from 62% to 7%. 

In the vote-rich Roossenekal Community Hall district, the ANC grew from 28% to 76%, while the EFF collapsed from 56% to 16%. There was only one competitive district. The ANC edged the EFF at Mapoch’s Combined School district, getting 51%, up from 36%, with the EFF receding from 61% to 47%.

Read more: By-elections hub

MK finished a distant third with 6%. It is still double the percentage it obtained in May. This result will be more satisfactory for MK than the previous Thabazimbi outing. All the other parties on the ballot battled on Wednesday. 

The new 61-seat council composition: ANC 37 (36) EFF 13 (14) DA 4 Bolsheviks 2 Mpumalanga Party 2 FF+ 1 Dennilton Residents Association 1 Answer For Community 1. 

Poll: 52% (47%)

The final round of by-elections for 2024 will be on 18 December when the IFP defends a marginal seat in Pietermaritzburg in the Msunduzi municipality and the DA defends a competitive seat in the small village of Middelpos in Hantam, Northern Cape. DM

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