Cape Town – The ANC secured a significant victory in the latest by-elections, winning three out of four contested wards in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Northern Cape, while the MK party failed to win any.
The ANC retained wards in Freedom Park and Motsoaledi (Johannesburg) and Mpofana (KZN) and won a new ward from the Namakwa Civic Movement in the Northern Cape.
The DA retained Ward 9 in Stellenbosch.
The ANC has emerged victorious in the Mpofana Ward 04 by-election in KZN with 1,436 votes! Thank you to the community for your continued support, Siyabonga!#ThePeoplesMovement pic.twitter.com/Pn7heKMHum
— ANC – African National Congress (@MYANC) May 15, 2025
The ANC expressed optimism, seeing the wins as a positive signal for the 2026 local government elections, while party leaders praised ongoing efforts to revive the movement, especially in Gauteng.
“The party welcomes the recent by-election results and expresses its full gratitude to the people of Ward 24, Greater Johannesburg Region, for their strong demonstration of commitment to the ANC. The ANC lives, the ANC leads,” said the party on Wednesday, according to The Citizen.
Meanwhile, MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu acknowledged the losses but blamed them on alleged state resource abuse and intimidation by the Government of National Unity (GNU).
We didn’t win Ward 24 in Johannesburg and Ward 4 in Mpofana. Our Volunteers and Candidates fought a good fight against abuse of State resources, intimidation and threats by GNU forces. uMKhonto weSizwe remains a formidable force and will remain as such! We are not a small or… pic.twitter.com/di3Q1BdTU8
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) May 14, 2025
He vowed the MK party would bounce back in upcoming by-elections, notably in Ngwathe, Free State, on 28 May.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
