Picture: The EFF shows growth during by-elections
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in North West has left the ANC punch drunk in a defeat after winning Ward 3 in Tsweleleng Township, near Wolmaranstad. The EFF won Ward 3 during by-elections that were held on 27 September 2023, even though it was previously the fortress of the ruling party.
The by-elections were held after the death of the ward councillor.
The EFF spokesperson in North West, Fanon Moema said they are grateful after residents exhibited confidence in the red berets. Moema further said, EFF continues to register significant growth and this is exciting.
“The EFF continues to show consistency because when you look at the previous by-elections. We have registered a momentous growth and also won some of the wards in the process. This really shows that, indeed EFF is ready to govern after the 2024 National General Elections.
“So, we are the government in waiting and really happy to see our people taking decisive actions. In most cases, if residents do not show decisiveness, service delivery continues to worsen because the ANC-led government dismally fails in its duties to deliver services to people,” he said.
Moema added that, everywhere the EFF is governing, there are improvements. He said now the lives of the residents of Maquassi Hills are going to change for the better and they will see value for money as taxpayers.
However, the ANC spokesperson in North West, Tumelo Maruping said all is not lost. Maruping said, regrettably, they acknowledge their loss in ward 3 in Tswelelang Township, near Wolmaranstad.
“This setback serves as a wake-up call and prompts us to rebuild our relationship with our communities. We will re-double our efforts to create even stronger and more prosperous communities while ensuring prompt delivery of essential services.
“We are currently engaged in self-reflection to identify the necessary steps moving forward. In cases where there have been delays in delivering basic services, we will take swift action to address those issues as evidenced by the Accelerated Basic Services Delivery Program, known as Thuntsha Lerole,” he said.
Maruping said, they call upon all ANC public representatives to prioritize the delivery of services, economic growth, and employment opportunities for the people of the North West. He said they also appreciate the unwavering dedication of their volunteers, who work tirelessly under challenging circumstances.
Meanwhile, the University of Free State (UFS) political analyst, Dr Sethulego Matebesi said: “The EFF has a stronghold in some areas across provinces such as North West, Northern Cape and others. They might not be dominating in those municipalities, but they play a prominent role.
“However, this is just a glimpse because there is a huge difference between National and Local General Elections. Also, there is a huge difference when it comes to national leadership because a lot is at play.”
Matebesi said the first thing that determines the by-elections is the voters’ turnout. He said sometimes, most people might be at work and cannot exercise their democratic rights.
“So, things like these might give other political parties like EFF an advantage. We all know that whether they grow very slightly, EFF has been a party that has shown growth in terms of electoral support. The outcomes might be a glimpse of what might happen in 2024.
“However, they will need a lot of hard work and ensure that their foot soldiers campaign for them. Also, they should use their online platforms including those events they host to convince their unregistered voters to go and register,” said Matebesi.
The Guardian 