'Early Christmas present' for ANC

Christmas came early for the ANC in Limpopo after the party snatched a seat away from the EFF during the highly contested by-elections in the Elias Motsoaledi local municipality on Wednesday.

- Alex Japho Matlala

The by-elections were the last in Limpopo this year, with elated party members calling the victory an early Christmas present for the ANC.

Limpopo Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officer Nkaro Mateta said a total of 4,339 people had registered to vote.

The elections were held in ward 30 in Roossenekal Township, outside the platinum mining town of Burgersfort. The ward was held by the EFF and a vacant seat was created after a councillor from the red berets was recalled.

The elections were contested by seven political parties, including the ANC, EFF, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, the Bolsheviks party of South Africa, the Movement for African Convention, Truth and Solidarity Movement and Sameba party.