PROFESSOR DIRK KOTZE
Special significance is often attached to by-elections. They are regarded as barometers of change in the political mood of a country. For parties, they can be early indicators of possible new trends in public opinion.
In South Africa by-elections are held only at municipal level. General municipal elections are normally held about 15 months after national and provincial elections. In the past the local elections have not been trendsetters. Rather their results have caught up with the national and provincial trends of 15 months earlier.
On November 11, 95 by-elections were held in all nine of South Africa’s provinces, representing about 2.2% of the total 4,400 wards in the country.
Voter turnout was very low. This isn’t unusual. Local government elections in South Africa have traditionally been characterised by low voter turnout. In the first two elections after 1994, only 48% voted, followed by 50% in 2006,
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