THE ANC in the Western Cape has attributed its defeat which handed Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto WeSizwe Party a historic victory in Saldanha Bay municipality, to “sleepers” among its own ranks, who had campaigned for other parties while wearing an ANC t-shirt.
The ANC lost this by-election in Ward 1, in the Saldanha Bay municipality to MK Party member Mzwandile Simon Biko, an ex-ANC member last week. The party had unleashed some of its most senior NEC members including deputy ministers Nonceba Mhlauli and Thandi Mahambehlala led by ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Paula Mokonyane and NEC member Khusela Diko in the hopes of retaining the ward.
However, despite its efforts, the party lost by over 800 votes. While the ANC received 338 votes, the MK Party received 1 197.
Ahead of the by-election, suspicion had been rife that there were ANC members that campaigned for the MK party in KwaZulu Natal during last year’s national elections. The party subsequently lost power in that province and was forced to enter into a coalition with the IFP and the DA, among others to form the provincial government of national unity.
ANC Provincial Secretary, Neville Delport confirmed to the Cape Times that a similar trend had also been picked up ahead of the Saldanha Bay by-election.
“The ANC welcomes the outcome of the recent by-election. While confident of retaining the ward, we became aware late in the process of “sleepers” within our ranks, echoing similar tactics seen in KwaZulu-Natal with the MKP.
“Such deception, nearly 30 years into democracy, must be condemned by all. Despite these challenges, the ANC in the West Coast secured a strong result. Voters in Ward 1, though frustrated by individuals who campaigned for other parties while posing as ANC volunteers, remain committed to restoring the ward to the ANC just as we witnessed in Saldanha during the national elections.
“We will address these internal weaknesses with urgency. The ANC remains the only movement capable of correcting itself. Together, we must build a stronger organisation to confront poverty directly, and create space for open, democratic dialogue within communities.”
Biko said they could not reveal their strategy which led to the victory.
“It’s our weapon. I am the one that built that place since 1991. People know me well. No one can say, I don’t know that man and I (was) an ANC councillor for 10 years from 2006 till 2016. Service delivery was poor, there was no capital budget for the ward for all these years. That’s something I’ve already been changing and on Tuesday I had a proposal budget in chambers,” he said.
The Ward 1 victory was a sign of things to come, he said. “We will win more wards in Saldanha”.
University of the Free State political analyst, Sanet Solomon said the MK Party’s victory was no surprise.
“Over the past few years there has been a steady decline in the quality of life for those living in Saldanha, this was particularly true for those living in poorer communities like Middelpos/ Diazville. The closure of the ArcelorMittal steel plant further exacerbated poverty for these communities -leaving many without an income. The ANC's unresponsiveness in this community created a vacuum that could be filled by MK. Thus, their victory is rarely a surprise.
"It was easier for residents to move their support from the ANC to the MK party given their overlap in politics, ideology and priorities. It is worth noting that most MK members were formerly ANC members who became disheartened with the party and sought a political home elsewhere. Given this, they are familiar with the dynamics in the community and would be more capable and possibly willing to resolve these challenges while advocating for the needs of this impoverished community.”
Solomons said she didn’t believe ANC members campaigned for the MK Party but instead joined MK.
"Given their familiarity with the community, they would be able to sway voters to support another political party. People often follow leaders they trust and this could be the case in this instance,” the analyst said.
For the ANC to prevent losing voters to MK ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, they would need to “reactivate their local branches and ensure that their councillors are active in these communities”.
“This would entail living amongst the people. Given the state of these townships and even the small town itself, it is highly unlikely that this would be possible. It is more likely that councillors would relocate and live in Langebaan and Vredenburg while visiting the township they claim to represent. Residents are not oblivious to this.
"The shift in support from the ANC to MK may be indicative of the local government outcome as people seek alternative representation. Years of neglect and unresponsiveness unfortunately cannot be undone in a few months. Given the state of these communities, residents need continued commitment from their representatives and not leaders who drive 30-minutes for a photo opportunity claiming to help people."
Cape Times