JOHANNESBURG – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced preliminary results for South Africa’s 2016 Municipal Elections.

The results exclude those from the Johannesburg metro, where counting has not yet been finalised.

With 99% of the votes counted by 7pm, the ANC has emerged dominant on a national basis with 53.89% of the vote, while the DA is in second place with 26.92%.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), looking for a foothold in its first local government elections, has bagged 8.18% of the total vote, while the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) received 4.26%.

In terms of votes counted by 7pm, the ANC has secured 175 councils, the DA 24 councils, the IFP 7 councils and the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) 1 council.

Chairman of the IEC Glen Mashinini says he is pleased to announce that the electoral commission has satisfied itself that the conditions of this year’s elections were free and fair, adding that he is proud that every stakeholder behaved to protect and provide peaceful elections.

“When the IEC launched the elections in January, I knew this would be a litmus test for the commission and the country as a whole.”

Chief Electoral Officer Mosotho Moepya emphasised the dramatic increase in the voter turnout for this year’s elections compared to the 2011 municipal elections.

“The last time we had 57.6% voter turnout and we wanted to increase that, so this year we attained 58% voter turnout.”

He says on average, voters waited 16 minutes in queues to casts their ballots.

Source: http://www.ewn.co.za

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American teenager Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday, holding her nerve against two Chinese Olympic champions to clinch the women’s 10m air rifle event.

The 19-year-old American edged out China’s Du Li, gold in Athens in 2004, with an Olympic-record score of 208. Defending Olympic champion Yi Siling, also of China, took the bronze medal.

Thrasher was awarded the first gold of the Games by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.

Competing in her first Olympics, Thrasher established an early lead after battling with the Russian shooter Daria Vdovina, who stumbled midway through the competition and finished fifth.

Source: http://www.sabc.co.za

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Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane yesterday announced that the party had claimed victory in Tshwane, the country’s capital, beating the African National Congress.
“I want to congratulate the DA for successfully beating the ANC here in Tshwane. We will soon be working hard to form the government,” Maimane said.
He also congratulated DA mayoral candidate of Tshwane Solly Msimanga for having run an exceptional campaign, adding Msimanga has been to many communities.
Maimane said the people of Tshwane had expressed the view that the project of democracy was fully at work.
“We need to do everything in our power that where we govern we must govern well. We are waiting for the final figures but our projections have consistently been right,” he said.
Msimanga said they had run a very long and hard race in Tshwane.
“It is a humble privilege to serve the people of South Africa in the city’s capital,” he said.
Msimanga said if the capital worked, the whole of the country would work.
Maimane said people had come out to vote for change.
The Independent Electoral Commission has not yet made an official announcement on the winner of the metro.
http://www.dailysun.co.za

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Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane has rejected allegations about her department giving contracts to the African National Congress Youth League treasurer general Reggie Nkabinde.

“I have heard and observed what Julius Malema has said. He didn’t get a single municipality and because we [the ANC] did very well‚ desperate individuals will say such things. I’m not going to honour his stupidity by responding.”

Asked whether she disputed the claims‚ Mokonyane said: “He has not been fed that information by me. The treasurer general of the ANC Youth League is a child of the ANC and has a right to run his own business.”

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema earlier accused Mokonyane of “empowering” Nkabinde with tenders.

Malema alleged during a press conference in Pretoria‚ broadcast on national television‚ that Nkabinde had established a music company called Mabala Noise‚ which had artists who received millions of rands and performed during ANC election rallies.

“… Nomvula likes them young … That’s how Reggie became a favourite of Nomvula Mokonyane …” Malema said.

Mokonyane’s spokesperson‚ Mlimandlela Ndamase‚ also rejected Malema’s statements.

“Julius is speaking nonsense. He is being sexist against a female leader of the ANC who is promoting policies of empowerment through a fair and transparent process‚” he said.

When contacted‚ the ANC Youth League refused to comment on the matter‚ referring all comments to Mabala Noise.

“Well‚ you can speak to whoever is responsible for Mabala Noise and not the youth league‚” said ANCYL national spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize.

TMG Entertainment has reached out to Mabala Noise for comment‚ and representatives said they were “working on putting a statement together”.

Malema said during the briefing that he was prepared to be taken to court over his assertions.

“If they think I am talking nonsense‚ they must sue me. Then the suing process will give them an opportunity to produce how much they paid those artists. That’s why I challenge them here‚” said Malema.

TMG Digital

Banyana Banyana forward Thembi Kgatlana has been called up into the official 18-player Women’s Olympic squad to replace the injured Shiwe Nongwanya.

Kgatlana was named as one of the four players on standby should injury strike at the event, as is now the case.

She and the others – Kaylin Swart (goalkeeper), Nomathemba Ntsibande (defender) and Chantelle Esau (midfielder) – have been training with the team in Brazil in line with tournament rules.

South Africa made a formal request to replace Nongwaya with Kgatlana and it has been approved.

Nongwaya was ruled out of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games due to an ankle injury sustained in the 1-0 loss to Sweden in the 40th minute. Linda Motlhalo replaced her in the match.

South Africa takes on China tonight at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Kick-off is at 19h00 local time (midnight SA time).

Olympic tournament page: All the news, fixtures, group standings

Article by: SAFA Media