The ANC won Ward 11 in the Theewaterskloof Municipality (Caledon) in the Western Cape from the Democratic Alliance with 50.51% of the votes, according to results on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of SA’s website.

The ward became vacant when the previous DA councillor died.

The ANC in the province called it a “historic and psychological” victory against the official opposition.

“The ANC is humbled and thankful for the support people gave it. It is an extremely difficult ward with a large number of white DA supporters living there,” ANC Western Cape leader, Marius Fransman, said in a statement.

“The outcome also shows that people are not satisfied with what the DA stands for and has been turned into.”

In KwaZulu-Natal the ANC lost a ward to the Inkatha Freedom Party and won one from the party.

ANC, IFP battle it out in KZN

In Ward Three in The Big 5 False Bay Municipality (Hluhluwe) the IFP took the ward from the ANC with 55.71% of the vote.

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant when the councillor died.

In Ward Eight in the uMlalazi Municipality (Eshowe) the ANC won the ward from the IFP with 50.55% of the vote.

The ward became vacant when the IFP councillor died.

ANC national spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa, said the results reaffirmed the confidence people had in the party and its leadership.

“We wish the newly elected councillors success as they move forward the work of improving  the lives of our people for the better.

‘We dare not fail’

“We dare not fail,” he said.The ANC retained Ward Two in the eMadlangeni Municipality (Utrecht) in KwaZulu-Natal. The ward became vacant when the previous ANC councillor died.

The IFP retained Ward 13 in the Ulundi Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. It became vacant when the previous councillor died.

The ANC retained three wards in the Eastern Cape – Ward 15 in Elundini municipality (Mount Fletcher), Ward 12 in Matatiele Municipality and Ward 26 in the Mbizana Municipality.

All three became vacant when the councillors died.

The ruling party also retained two wards in Limpopo – Ward 24 in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality, which became vacant when the councillor resigned and Ward Four in the Ephraim Mogale Municipality (Marble Hall) which became vacant when the councillor died.

The Democratic Alliance retained Ward 13 in the Overstrand municipality (Greater Hermanus). The by-election was uncontested.

The ward became vacant when the previous DA councillor resigned.