By Nkhensani Chauke
The hung Thabazimbi Local Municipality will hold its first inaugural council meeting on Thursday at the Kumba Bioscope Hall in Thabazimbi, Limpopo.
The ANC emerged as the leading party with 39.65% of the votes, securing 10 council seats, two short of the 12 needed for an outright majority.
The by-elections, held following the dissolution of the municipality, saw all 12 wards being contested.
The municipality has been embroiled in power struggles between the ANC and a DA-led coalition, resulting in parallel councils before its dissolution in August 2024.
ANC Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka confirmed the ongoing coalition discussions ahead of council on Thursday.
“We can confirm that the ANC is in discussions with various political parties that will be represented in the council,” he said.
Last week’s by-elections was one of the most contested in recent years, with 400 candidates from 21 parties and five independents vying for seats. The ANC, DA, EFF and MK Party each fielded candidates in all 12 wards.
The by-election took place at 57 voting stations, including three voting centres, spread across the 12 wards of Thabazimbi Local Municipality
The by-election also saw a voter turnout of 38.55%, with over 80% of voters in Ward 11 abstaining.
The ward with the highest voter turnout recorded is Ward 4 with 48.95%, while the ward with the lowest voter turnout is Ward 11 with 18.72%.
Seven political parties now share the 23 council seats in Thabazimbi. The ANC secured 10 ward seats, while the DA won 1 ward and 3 proportional representation (PR) seats. The EFF gained 3 seats, an increase from 2 in 2021. The Labour Party of South Africa won 1 ward and 1 PR seat, the FFP retained its 2 PR seats, and both the MK Party and TRA obtained 1 seat each.
The Independent Electoral Commission told the SABC on Tuesday that it was ready to facilitate the first council sitting where the mayoral council will be elected.
“The IEC has been requested to assist with the first item on the agenda will then be to elect the speaker of the council, once the speaker is elected, that speaker will then take over the running of that agenda,” said provincial electoral officer Nkaro Mateta.
“The IEC will also be there to assist with the election of councillors who will represent Thabazimbi at the Waterberg District.”
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