KwaZulu-Natal

Ward 10 (Kloof, Gillitts) in eThekwini: DA 95% (80%) ANC 4% (6%) ABC 1% (<1%) IFP <1% (1%) EFF <1% (3%)

The setting: Kloof and Gillitts are west of the Durban city centre. Ward 10 includes leafy suburbs and is a traditional DA stronghold. It also encompasses the residential area of Winston Park. 

The local government election: The DA lost some ground in the 2021 local government election as ActionSA finished second in the ward with 7% of the vote. ActionSA got more than 10% of the vote in two of the nine voting districts, around the Kloof Tennis Club and Kloof High School. The DA still obtained four-fifths of the vote and won every voting district comfortably. 

The by-election: Veteran DA councillor and former leader of the opposition in Ekurhuleni, Tex Collins, passed away. ActionSA decided to conserve resources and sit out the by-election. The most high-profile contestant in the by-election was eThekwini deputy mayor and Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) leader PG Mavundla. 

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The DA romped home to a comfortable victory, winning more than 97% of the vote in seven of the nine voting districts. Relative turnout at the two voting districts where ActionSA performed best in 2021 – the Kloof Tennis Club (35%) and Kloof High School (40%) – was higher than the by-election average. 

The DA’s 95% was higher than the 94% it got in a 2018 by-election in the ward. However, turnout in that by-election was 40%. The 31% poll is in line with another by-election that took place in eThekwini earlier in the year. However, that ward was more competitive and was held because of the assassination of the former ward councillor. The turnout here was much higher than the other by-election in eThekwini which took place in 2022, where only 16% turned out. That by-election was also held because of a political assassination. 

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eThekwini deputy mayor and Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) leader PG Mavundla stood in this by-election. It was a curious choice for a politician who made some impact on the local government elections and KwaZulu-Natal politics since forming his party. While Mavundla beat the IFP and the EFF in the by-election, he only garnered 1% of the vote. This poor showing is likely to be used by the ANC and its other coalition partners in eThekwini to remind Mavundla that his star might not be as bright as he puts forth, and also opens himself up for further derision by opposition parties including the EFF, IFP and the DA. 

Poll: 31% (57%).

The next by-election will be on 16 November when the Freedom Front Plus will tackle the DA in a DA-held seat in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. DM