JOHANNESBURG - The ANC on Thursday said it was 'thrilled' with its results in by-elections held on Wednesday in six provinces.
"The results of these by-elections are a clear indication that the South African people reject the unholy alliance of the opposition parties who continue to gang-up against the movement of the people," ANC acting national spokesperson Dakota Legoete said via a statement.
Out of 13 by-elections, the governing party managed to retain several wards it held since the August 2016 local government elections, said the statement.
"In the by-elections contested yesterday in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and Western Cape, the ANC retained seven seats. The ANC managed to perform in this way largely through the hard work of its volunteers to reduce the numbers of its opponents," Legoete said.
"In KwaZulu Natal, the ANC won for the first time in Ward 21 of Abaqulusi which was previously held by the opposition and retained Ward 4 in Bergville Municipality. These are early positive signs of what the people of South Africa are capable of doing at the forthcoming general elections. The overwhelming support received by the ANC attests to the confidence that the people of this country have in the ANC’s manifesto, which is a practical, realistic plan of action to change the lives of people for the better."
The party thanked its volunteers and congratulated its newly elected public representatives.
"The ANC understands that the legacy of apartheid and its stubborn residual effects of poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment and inequality still affect many of our people," said Legoete.