By Akani Nkuna
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema cast his vote in the Ward 13 by-elections held in Seshego, his hometown located just a few kilometers from Limpopo’s capital, Polokwane.
Upon arrival at the voting station, Malema was welcomed by dozens of enthusiastic EFF supporters before proceeding to participate in the fiercely contested poll.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) is also contesting the ward against its alliance partner, the African National Congress (ANC).
SACP’s councillor candidate, Obed Thabana, formerly served as an ANC branch chairperson.
The seat was previously held by the EFF but became vacant after the councillor was dismissed due to misconduct.
The EFF has vowed to defend its seat.
Speaking to reporters outside Mponegele Primary School in Seshego Zone 1 after voting, Malema emphasised the significance of his presence in demonstrating the importance of by-elections, which often suffer from low voter turnout.
He urged his party’s leadership to increase their involvement in these polls ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
“We are here to encourage our people to take by-elections very seriously because the turnout is typically low, possibly due to insufficient leadership engagement,” said Malema.
Malema stressed that by-elections are comparable to local government elections, as they determine the councillors responsible for serving the community.
“[These by-elections] are no different from local government elections. [People] will elect the councillor who will serve our people, which is why I decided to come here,” he said.
Furthermore, Malema extended an invitation to ANC supporters, whom he described as uncertain, to consider voting for the EFF, suggesting that doing so could improve their circumstances.
“The ANC supporters are disgruntled,” he said.
“Many of them are unsure about their direction, caught in a state of confusion. Why not take advantage and encourage them to change their vote? Perhaps their lives will change for the better.”
In the midst of the scramble for votes in the by-elections, the ANC has also called on residents of Ward 11 in Nqgushwa Local Municipality, in the Eastern Cape, to turn out in numbers and support the party.
Meanwhile, ANC Gauteng Provincial Coordinator Hope Papo addressed the media earlier on Wednesday, stressing the importance of the party’s Regional Task Teams (PTT) revising their conference roadmaps to ensure maximum participation from branches.
Papo highlighted the need for the ANC to adopt inclusive, credible, and unifying processes to regain trust and favor among citizens following recent electoral setbacks.
“The PTT has reaffirmed the importance of consolidating organizational readiness for the 2026 local government elections. The provincial list committee has been established in accordance with ANC national guidelines,” Papo added.
He emphasised that the party is committed to avoiding past electoral disappointments by establishing a dedicated election team and focusing its campaign efforts on areas where support has waned and communities that have historically been neglected.
“We will conduct regional election strategy workshops for the three metros and two districts, intensifying our planning efforts for the elections. We expect these meetings to conclude by the end of this month,” Papo said.
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