By Johnathan Paoli
Four by-elections across three provinces produced dramatic results, with the biggest shock coming from the Western Cape where the Patriotic Alliance (PA) made history by unseating the Democratic Alliance in Amstelhof, Paarl in the Drakenstein Municipality, the second-most populous district in the province.
PA Leader Gayton McKenzie congratulated councilor Veronica Maralack-Boonzaaier of Ward 27 for her victory.
“Thank you very much Patriots, the DA was delivering fake pictures of me with murder suspect to every house, but our people know that we would not lie to them. The WC is no longer a given for the DA,” McKenzie said.
In a major symbolic victory for the PA, the party secured 43% of the vote in Ward 27, surging from just 1% in the previous contest, while the DA’s support plummeted from 58% to 39%.
The African National Congress (ANC) edged up slightly to 16%, while the Concerned Drakenstein Residents (CDR), who held 10% previously, collapsed to 1%.
The turnout in the ward rose to 58%, up from 48%, reflecting increased mobilisation from both PA and DA supporters.
This is the PA’s first ward councillor in the Cape Winelands and marks a strategic expansion beyond their traditional strongholds.
The updated Drakenstein Council composition now stands at the DA with 35 seats (down from 36); the ANC with 13; the GOOD Party with 4; Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and CDR with 3 each and the PA with 2 (up from 1).
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa, Pan Africanist Congress and Al Jama-ah have 1 seat each of the total 65 seats.
In Ward 6 (Velddrif and Noordhoek) in the Bergrivier Municipality, the DA retained the ward with 45% of the vote, improving on its previous 40%, but faced stiff competition from the PA, which jumped from 29% to 39%.
The EFF rose modestly to 13%, while the ANC collapsed to just 3%, down from 13%.
The GOOD Party and FF+, who collectively had 12% in the last contest, did not stand in this by-election.
Turnout increased significantly to 63%, up from 57%, thanks to PA’s ground campaign in Noordhoek and the DA’s strong performance in Dwarskersbos.
This result highlights the intensifying competition between the DA and PA across the Western Cape, even in areas where the DA has historically dominated.
In Ward 35 (Sebokeng 11–13) in the Emfuleni Municipality in Gauteng, the ANC retained the ward but saw its support nosedive from 54% to 38%, a 16-point drop.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) capitalised, finishing second with 21%, a notable achievement for a new entrant.
The DA remained third with 12%, unchanged from the previous election, but the EFF fell dramatically from 22% to 8%.
The PA also managed to match the DA with 12%, while smaller parties like Tau Dia Rora (6%) and PAC (2%) made minor showings.
Several micro-parties registered less than 1%.
Turnout declined to 37%, down from 43%, but the most significant trend came from the Mthombolwazi School Voting District in Zone 12, the ward’s most populous station, where the MK scored 35%, followed by the PA at 28%, and the ANC trailed in third at 24%.
This result marks one of the rare instances of the ANC finishing third, and the EFF finishing sixth, in a voting district in a Gauteng township.
In Ward 1 (Roodepan and Platfontein) in Sol Plaatje Municipality in the Northern Cape, the ANC reclaimed the seat from the PA with 43%, improving on its previous 35%.
The PA slumped from 53% to 39%, while the DA rose from 7% to 16%. The EFF and MK barely registered, each with 1%.
The turnout held steady at 56%.
The new seat allocation in Sol Plaatje now stands at the ANC with 33 seats (up from 32); the DA with 14; EFF 6; PA 3 (down from 4); Sol Plaatje Service Delivery Forum and FF+ 3; GOOD 2; and ACDP 1 seat.
All eyes now turn to Motherwell in Nelson Mandela Bay, where the ANC is set to defend a traditionally safe seat in a by-election scheduled for 6 August.
The EFF and MK are expected to contest aggressively, hoping to build on their performance in Sebokeng.
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