DA sails forth in North West ward polls, despite prod by EFF in Potch

12 Sep 2024

The DA retained all five seats it was defending in North West. It registered decisive wins in four of the five voting districts, with the EFF giving the party cause for concern in an area with student housing around North West University in Potchefstroom. By-elections were also held in wards in Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng this week. Watch out for our accompanying reports.

Kenneth Kaunda

The Kenneth Kaunda region includes the towns of Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp and Wolmaransstad.

Ward 7 (Die Bult West) JB Marks, Kenneth Kaunda: DA 94% (68%) ANC 6% (2%)

The setting: Ward 7 is north of the Potchefstroom town centre, positioned as part of the North West University campus. The ward also has a growing demand for student accommodation.

The 2021 local government elections: The DA and the FF+ went head-to-head, with the DA coming out top and the FF+ second with a gallant 24% of the vote.

The provincial elections: The DA won 67% of the vote, with the EFF beating the FF+ to second place with a 14% tally. The FF+ managed 9% and the ANC was a distant fourth with 4%.

The by-election: Johni Steenkamp won election to the provincial legislature. Both the EFF and the FF+ sat out this by-election.

The DA won by a cricket score resembling a well-crafted innings at the nearby Senwes Park. Very few voters turned out. The party will want to work on voter turnout in this battleground municipality for 2026.

Poll: 14% (38%)

Ward 22 (Die Bult East) JB Marks, Kenneth Kaunda: DA 59% (69%) EFF 37% (3%) ANC 4% (3%)

The setting: Ward 22 neighbours Ward 7, and they are quite similar. There is an increase in demand for student housing. This ward includes Cachet Park and the strip of student bars and takeout establishments on Steve Biko Street. It also includes Potchefstroom Gimnasium, the school that helped produce former Springbok fullback Theo van Rensburg.

The 2021 local government elections: The result was a near carbon copy of Ward 7, with the FF+ second on 24%.

The 2024 provincial elections: The DA only won 51% as the EFF finished second with an eye-catching 24%. The FF+ fell to third with 10% while the ANC was fourth on 5%.

The by-election: The ward councillor resigned to take up a job in the private sector.

The DA retained the ward but with a reduced majority as the EFF continued to make deep inroads here. Due to the very low poll, the DA only beat the EFF by 81 votes. Results were similar across both voting districts.

Despite the low poll, the EFF will be encouraged by this result. This was one of the few municipalities in the country where the FF+ beat the EFF in 2021. The EFF has underperformed here. It will use this result as a springboard for 2026 in JB Marks.

Poll: 9% (29%)

Ward 24 (Grimbeek Park Central) JB Marks, Kenneth Kaunda: DA 99% (72%) ANC 1% (4%)

The setting: Ward 24 includes the suburb of Grimbeek Park which is southeast of the town centre and part of central Potchefstroom.

The 2021 local government elections: The DA won nearly three-quarters of the vote in this ward, leaving the FF+ second with 23%. They were the only two parties in this contest. The DA faced more competition around the Potchefstroom Town Hall in the centre of town, but there are fewer voters in this district and the turnout was lower compared with Grimbeek Park.

The 2024 provincial elections: The DA won 71% of the vote, all but mirroring its 2021 tally. The FF+ came second with 16% and the ANC third with 6%.

The by-election: Jeanne Adriaanse was elected to the National Council of Provinces as a North West delegate. The FF+ sat out the by-election.

The DA received 508 of the 512 votes in this ward. There was not one spoilt ballot in this by-election. Only 6% of voters at the Potch Town Hall turned out, and 30% of registered voters showed up in Grimbeek Park, where the DA received 466 out of 466 votes.

Poll: 22% (51%)

Ward 39 (Adamayview Flamwood), Matlosana, Kenneth Kaunda: DA 94% (66%) ANC 6% (5%)

The setting: The ward is northeast of the Klerksdorp town centre, above the N12 national road which links Klerksdorp with Potchefstroom. It is also sandwiched by Buffelsdoorn Road.

The 2021 local government elections: The DA won two-thirds of the vote, followed by the FF+ on 24%.

The 2024 provincial elections: The DA improved to 70%, while the FF+ obtained 11% and the ANC took bronze with 8%.

The by-election: Ward councillor Wolfgang Wallhorn won a seat in the provincial legislature. The FF+ did not contest this by-election.

It was plain sailing for the DA in this suburban part of Klerksdorp. It won 96% of the vote in Adamayview and 84% in Flamwood.

Poll: 30% (59%)

Ward 7 (Vryburg) Naledi, Ruth Mompati: DA 79% (61%) ANC 21% (15%)

The setting: Vryburg is the seat of power in Naledi. The town is blessed to have not one but two national roads run through it. It has hosted the largest cattle auctions in Africa and gave the nation Bafana Bafana defender Fabian McCarthy and the towering beanpole of a lock, Albert van den Bergh. The town produced two North West premiers, Thandi Modise and Bushy Maape, underpinning the strong ANC roots here, but also, on the far right of the political spectrum, produced Jaap Marais from the Herstigde Nasionale Party.

The 2021 local government elections: The DA won more than 60% of the vote. The FF+ was runner-up with 19%, ahead of the ANC on 15%.

While the ward has five voting districts, the overwhelming majority of voters are in one – Vryburg. The others are rural voting districts running off the town into the cattle farms in the district.

The 2024 provincial elections: The DA came in first with 56%. This time the ANC was second best on 22%, while the FF+ lagged behind on 12%.

The by-election: The ward councillor, Hendriëtte van Huyssteen, was elected to the provincial legislature.

More than 90% of the votes cast in this by-election were at the Banquet Hall in Vryburg. The DA won 82% in this district. The ANC made some dents in this DA voting district banker, but it was not nearly enough. The ANC carried two districts and will take that as a consolation prize.

Poll: 32% (40%)

The DA will be very happy with these results, but will note that the EFF continues to be a factor in wards where there is a growing demand for student accommodation.

The next round of by-elections is on 11 October when the ANC will defend three safe seats in the Eastern Cape and the DA will defend a super marginal seat in the Northern Cape.

Read our other September 11 by-election results here:

KwaZulu-Natal: MK wins ward but falls short in other contests, dominant DA paints polls blue

Gauteng and Limpopo: Al Jamah wins big in Lenasia while ANC and DA also retain seats

Free State: DA retains electoral mining rights in Odendaalsrus, adds to huge haul

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Read more: MK shocks ANC, EFF in Marikana while DA has a night of mixed fortunes in ward polls

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