Johannesburg - The ANC and DA have thanked South Africans for participating in by-elections held in 20 wards across six provinces on Wednesday.
“The African National Congress is grateful to all people who came out once again to cast their vote, entrenching democracy in our country,” party spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a statement on Thursday.
“We do not take for granted the confidence our people continue to demonstrate in the ANC and commit to redouble our efforts to continue to strengthen the capacity of local government to deliver even better.”
The ANC welcomed the outcome of the by-elections and congratulated the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) for holding credible, free and fair by-elections.
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said her party had shown strong growth in the by-elections.
“These results are a clear sign that the DA continues to grow in key battleground metros and wards ahead of the 2016 elections,” she said in a statement.
“We would like to thank every single one of our supporters who contributed to yesterday's successful results.”
The DA won 14 of the 20 wards in the by-elections, according to results released by the IEC.
The ANC secured five wards, while the Inkatha Freedom Party took one ward.
Of the DA's 14 wards, six were in Gauteng, five in KwaZulu-Natal, two in Mpumalanga, and one in the Western Cape.
Of the ANC's five wards, two were in Gauteng, one in the Eastern Cape, one in KwaZulu-Natal, and one in the Northern Cape.
DA candidate Jill Ada Humphreys secured Ward 20 in Ekurhuleni with 97.3 percent of the vote, while her colleague Stefanie Kruger scooped the East Rand's Ward 24 with 55.3 percent of the vote.
Ward 20 was previously represented by the DA and became vacant because the councillor was elected to serve in the provincial legislature. It was contested by Humphreys and ANC candidate Monica Mnguni.
Ward 24 was contested by Kruger, Daphney Jokolina Sibambo of the ANC, and Bhekani Zephreid Ntshangase of the National Freedom Party. The ward was previously represented by the DA and became vacant because the councillor was elected to serve in the provincial legislature.
DA candidate Ashley Theresa Rutherford won Ward 92 in Ekurhuleni with 92.1 percent of the vote, while ANC candidate Muntu Moses Mtyotywa took Ward 11 in Randfontein with 82.4 percent of the vote.
Ward 92 was contested by Rutherford and ANC candidate Ntanganedzeni Mudau. The ward was previously held by the DA and became vacant because the councillor was elected to serve in the provincial legislature.
Ward 11 was contested by Mtyotywa and DA candidate Nozipho Iris Ndlela. The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant because the councillor died.
With 66 percent of the vote, DA candidate Faeeza Chame scooped Ward 57 in the City of Johannesburg, while ANC member Luvhengo Jordaan Musesi secured the nearby Ward 58 with 35.3 percent of the vote.
Ward 57 was contested by Chame, ANC candidate Beverley Delyse Turk, and Lwazi Jali of the IFP.
Ward 58 was contested by Musesi, Alex Christians of the DA, Al Jama-Ah member Mahomed Haniff Ahmed Manjoo, Congress of the People candidate Devanand Maharaj, and independent candidates Peter Jakobus Jacobs and Rickey Kashore Nair.
DA candidate Candice Christine James won Ward 112 in the City of Johannesburg with 77.9 percent of the vote, and her colleague Michele Spadino-Pippa took Ward 118 with 75.1 percent of the vote.
Ward 112 was contested by James, and ANC candidate Leverne Monique Young.
The ward became vacant after its DA councillor resigned.
Ward 118 was contested Spadino-Pippa, Johaan Penuel Mkhumbuzi of the ANC, Thandazile Portia Buthelezi of the IFP, and Matshidiso Monica Kateregga of the NFP.
In the eThekwini municipality, DA member Bruce Anthony Sutcliffe secured Ward 18 with 91.1 percent of the vote, while his colleague Shaun Ryley took Ward 36.
Ward 18 was contested by Sutcliffe and Mboniseni Christopher Mtshali of the ANC. Ward 36 was contested by Ryley and ANC member Constantina Tsepouras.
Ward 52 in eThekwini was won by Bradley Singh of the DA with 54.4 percent of the vote. The ward was contested by Singh, Rajendrakumar Manowah of the ANC, and Neresh Maharaj of the Minority Front.
Ward 73 in eThekwini was scooped by Devraj Rama Pillay of the DA with 70 percent of the vote, while ANC candidate Dudu Pretty Ncala obtained Ward 4 in Dundee with 39.5 percent of the vote.
Ward 73 was contested by Pillay, Kasaval Chetty of the ANC, and Madhanlall Dasarath of the MF.
Ward 4 was contested by Ncala, independent candidate Hassen Satchmo Bheki Ngobese, Nqobizitha Seyamah of the IFP, and Mzikayifani Paltrochel Nyawo of the NFP.
Ward Six in Hlabisa was won by IFP candidate Themba Herbert Zungu with 41.4 percent of the vote, and DA candidate Malcolm William Hubner scooped Ward 22 in KwaDukuza.
Ward Six was contested by Zungu, ANC candidate Phiwayinkosi T Mdletshe, and Mboniseni Leftenel Velaphi Mdletshe of the NFP. Ward 22 was contested by Hubner and Rigby Calvert Heenan of the ANC.
In Mpumalanga, DA member Piet Retief Bosch took Ward 30 in the Govan Mbeki municipality with 92.3 percent of the vote, and his colleague Jolandi Schneider-Breetzke took Ward 18 in Witbank with 91 percent of the vote.
Ward 30 was contested by Bosch, Neo Ingrid Mongale of the ANC, and Aranda Donel Nel-Buitendag of the Freedom Front Plus. The previous DA councillor left to serve in the National Assembly. Ward 18 was contested by Schneider-Breetzke and Stanley Maurice Hlophe of the ANC.
ANC candidate Estelle Elfreda Fritz won Ward Nine in Keimoes, Northern Cape, with 63.6 percent of the vote, while DA member Eleanore Rochelle Jacqueline Spies took Ward Five in Knysna, Western Cape, with 74.6 percent of the vote.
Ward Nine was contested by Fritz, Cope member Willem Jaftha, and Maria Mathilda Appies of the DA. Ward Five in Knysna was contested by Spies, and Alberto Riccardo Marbi of the ANC.
Ward 16 in Ntabankulu, Eastern Cape, was won by ANC candidate Thembakazi Msuthu with 60 percent of the vote. The ward was contested by Msuthu, and independent candidate Anderson Lumkile Mndela. The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant because the councillor resigned. - Sapa