Johannesburg – It has been a busy weekend for political parties as Super Wednesday approaches, with 95 wards up for grabs in the first round of by-elections to be held under Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Ninety-five wards are up for grabs on Wednesday across over 50 municipalities in the nine provinces, the IEC confirmed on Monday.
Political parties such as the EFF, DA and the ANC were out in their numbers over the weekend gearing up their supporters and hopeful voters.
The ANC's secretary-general Ace Magashule was out campaigning in Kagiso in the West Rand of Gauteng on Sunday. The DA was also campaigning in the same ward.
Magashule said the ANC was confident voters would give them the support the party needed to clinch the wards up for grabs. He said the party had renewed itself.
"The people of SA have complete confidence in the ANC, and they will vote for the ANC in numbers. We have renewed the ANC and we are keeping in touch with our people. Our campaign is that wonderful people still have hope in the ANC. We have gone to churches and have done door to door campaigns. Old people, young people are all positive and they have realised they need to vote ANC," Magashule told eNCA.
Meanwhile, DA leader John Steenhuisen issued an appeal to voters on Monday saying they should vote for the DA. He said the DA was fresh from a party conference with a new leadership ready to serve citizens.
Steenhuisen also appealed to voters not to vote for smaller parties or independent candidates as that would lead to political instability across municipalities.
"It is absolutely crucial that residents in communities across the country vote on Wednesday to help bring about the change our country so desperately needs. We can only do this by voting in a party with a proven track record in government and the necessary networks and support systems to formulate sound governments.
"I want to urge residents not to vote for independent candidates or smaller parties as this will only splinter and divide municipal councils across the country and usher in political instability which will paralyse service," Steenhuisen said.
The EFF has also made its mark campaigning over the weekend with the party's secretary-general Marshall Dlamini in the Northern Cape on Saturday.
Also on the campaign trail in the Free State was EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu.
The IEC confirmed 40 political parties were contesting the by-elections, including 444 candidates.
Of the 444 candidates, 305 are men and 139 women.
Political Bureau