Witzenberg Local Municipality elections

The Witzenberg Local Municipality consists of twenty-three members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Twelve councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in twelve wards, while the remaining eleven are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

No party has ever received a majority at a local government election, with the African National Congress (ANC) receiving a plurality in 2006 and the Democratic Alliance (DA) in 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Results

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The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.

Event ANC COPE DA ICO Other Total
2000 election 9 9 3 21
2002 floor-crossing 12 1 8 21
2004 floor-crossing 15 2 4 21
2006 election 10 6 5 21
2007 floor-crossing 9 7 5 21
2011 election 8 1 10 4 23
2016 election 8 1 11 1 2 23
2021 election 7 0 8 1 7 23
2021 election (recount) 7 0 9 1 6 23

December 2000 election

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The following table shows the results of the 2000 election. [1]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress7,56743.4857,50843.1249
Democratic Alliance7,10640.8367,40842.5539
Witzenberg Onafhanklike Vereniging1,6499.4801,5528.9122
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania4962.8506643.8111
United Democratic Movement2061.1802791.6000
Independent candidates3792.1800
Total17,403100.001117,411100.001021
Valid votes17,40398.2417,41198.33
Invalid/blank votes3111.762951.67
Total votes17,714100.0017,706100.00
Registered voters/turnout31,19056.7931,19056.77

October 2002 floor crossing

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In terms of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution and the judgment of the Constitutional Court in United Democratic Movement v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others, in the period from 8–22 October 2002 councillors had the opportunity to cross the floor to a different political party without losing their seats. In the Witzenberg council the Democratic Alliance (DA) lost seven councillors to the New National Party (NNP), which had formerly been part of the DA, and one councillor to the African National Congress (ANC). One councillor from the "Witzenberg Onafhanklike Vereniging" and one from the Pan Africanist Congress also crossed to the ANC.[2]

Party Seats before Net change Seats after
African National Congress 9   3 12
New National Party   7 7
Democratic Alliance 9   8 1
Witzenberg Onafhanklike Vereniging 2   1 1
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania 1   1 0

September 2004 floor crossing

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Another floor-crossing period occurred on 1–15 September 2004. Two ANC councillors, the remaining DA councillor and the remaining "Witzenberg Onafhanklike Vereniging" councillor all crossed to the Independent Democrats (ID). Five of the NNP councillors crossed to the ANC, and two to the DA.[3]

Party Seats before Net change Seats after
African National Congress 12   3 15
Independent Democrats   4 4
Democratic Alliance 1   1 2
New National Party 7   7 0
Witzenberg Onafhanklike Vereniging 1   1 0

By-elections from September 2004 to February 2006

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The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the floor crossing periods in September 2004 and the election in March 2006.[4]

Date Ward Party of the previous councillor Party of the newly elected councillor
24 October 2004 8 Independent Democrats[Note 1] African National Congress
7 September 2005 3 Independent Democrats[Note 2] African National Congress

March 2006 election

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The following table shows the results of the 2006 election.[5]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress8,29747.8888,33048.61210
Democratic Alliance4,62226.6824,59226.7946
Independent Democrats2,61815.1112,64315.4223
United Independent Front7394.2707574.4211
First Community Party of South Africa6483.7405623.2811
Independent candidates3431.9800
African Christian Democratic Party600.3502541.4800
Total17,327100.001117,138100.001021
Valid votes17,32798.1317,13897.18
Invalid/blank votes3311.874982.82
Total votes17,658100.0017,636100.00
Registered voters/turnout37,27347.3737,27347.32

September 2007 floor crossing

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The final floor-crossing period occurred on 1–15 September 2007; floor-crossing was subsequently abolished in 2008 by the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution. In the Witzenberg council, one councillor crossed from the Independent Democrats (ID) to the new National People's Party, one crossed from the First Community Party to the ID, and one crossed from the African National Congress to the Democratic Alliance.[6]

Party Seats before Net change Seats after
African National Congress 10   1 9
Democratic Alliance 6   1 7
Independent Democrats 3   0 3
United Independent Front 1   0 1
National People's Party   1 1
First Community Party of South Africa 1   1 0

By-elections from September 2007 to May 2011

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The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the floor crossing period in September 2007 and the election in May 2011.[4]

Date Ward Party of the previous councillor Party of the newly elected councillor
12 August 2009 3 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
2 September 2009 5 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

May 2011 election

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The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.[7]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance9,63445.21710,02447.57310
African National Congress7,62235.7747,76436.8448
National People's Party7223.3906813.2311
Congress of the People5782.7106122.9011
Voice of Independents Party4302.0203851.8311
Democratic Christian Party4031.8903921.8611
United Independent Front3831.8003861.8300
Independent candidates6993.2811
African Christian Democratic Party3091.4503461.6400
Democratic Association of Witzenberg Independence3341.5702821.3400
South African Progressive Civic Organisation1940.9102010.9500
Total21,308100.001221,073100.001123
Valid votes21,30898.6421,07397.61
Invalid/blank votes2931.365172.39
Total votes21,601100.0021,590100.00
Registered voters/turnout42,20851.1842,20851.15

By-elections from May 2011 to August 2016

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The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in May 2011 and August 2016.[4]

Date Ward Party of the previous councillor Party of the newly elected councillor
30 January 2013 10 Democratic Alliance African National Congress[Note 3]
4 February 2015 10 African National Congress African National Congress
1 April 2015 7 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

August 2016 election

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The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.[8]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance10,88645.71710,98546.22411
African National Congress7,49731.4857,86133.0838
Witzenberg Aksie1,1724.9201,2015.0511
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa8733.6709443.9711
Economic Freedom Fighters7733.2507833.2911
Congress of the People3891.6304231.7811
Land Claims Fighters4241.7803371.4200
African Christian Democratic Party3491.4703271.3800
Freedom Front Plus3241.3603021.2700
Democratic Association of Witzenberg Independence3121.3102641.1100
Patriotic Alliance2210.9302701.1400
Independent candidates4261.7900
People's Democratic Movement1700.710700.2900
Total23,816100.001223,767100.001123
Valid votes23,81698.2223,76798.04
Invalid/blank votes4321.784751.96
Total votes24,248100.0024,242100.00
Registered voters/turnout46,98051.6146,98051.60

The eleven councillors from the Democratic Alliance (DA) formed a coalition with the single councillor from the Congress of the People (COPE) to govern the municipality.[9] The local council sends three representatives to the council of the Cape Winelands District Municipality: two from the Democratic Alliance and one from the African National Congress.[9]

By-elections from August 2016 to November 2021

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The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in August 2016 and November 2021.[4]

Date Ward Party of the previous councillor Party of the newly elected councillor
5 December 2018 9 African National Congress African National Congress

November 2021 election

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The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[10]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance7,38836.5987,26236.7008
African National Congress6,07330.0746,10830.8637
Good1,2686.2801,2326.2322
Patriotic Alliance1,0785.3401,0965.5411
Witzenberg Aksie7413.6707543.8111
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa6163.0505642.8511
Economic Freedom Fighters5752.8505812.9411
Freedom Front Plus4932.4404792.4211
Witzenberg Party3731.8504042.0411
Congress of the People3701.8303311.6700
African Christian Democratic Party3421.6903151.5900
Breedevallei Onafhanklik2391.1802541.2800
Democratic Association of Witzenberg Independence2841.4101320.6700
Witzenberg Onafhanklike Demokratiese Party1830.9101710.8600
Cape Independence Party750.370480.2400
Spectrum National Party560.280450.2300
Independent candidates320.1600
African Progressive Movement80.040140.0700
Total20,194100.001219,790100.001123
Valid votes20,19498.7519,79098.50
Invalid/blank votes2551.253011.50
Total votes20,449100.0020,091100.00
Registered voters/turnout47,09843.4247,09842.66

A successful court application in December 2021 by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to recount the ballets in two wards saw the DA regain a seat from Good and regain control of the council.[11]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance7,38836.8287,36136.9519
African National Congress6,07330.2746,10830.6637
Good1,2686.3201,2326.1811
Patriotic Alliance1,0825.3901,0965.5011
Witzenberg Aksie7403.6907543.7811
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa6163.0705662.8411
Economic Freedom Fighters5752.8705812.9211
Freedom Front Plus4922.4504992.5011
Witzenberg Party3731.8604052.0311
Congress of the People3701.8403341.6800
African Christian Democratic Party3391.6903161.5900
Breedevallei Onafhanklik2401.2002541.2700
Witzenberg Onafhanklike Demokratiese Party1830.9101750.8800
Democratic Association of Witzenberg Independence1550.7701320.6600
Cape Independence Party750.370520.2600
Spectrum National Party560.280450.2300
Independent candidates320.1600
African Progressive Movement80.040140.0700
Total20,065100.001219,924100.001123
Valid votes20,06598.7919,92498.53
Invalid/blank votes2451.212981.47
Total votes20,310100.0020,222100.00
Registered voters/turnout47,09843.1247,09842.94

[12][13]

By-elections from November 2021

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The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period from November 2021.[14]

Date Ward Party of the previous councillor Party of the newly elected councillor
20 April 2022 30904003 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

Notes

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  1. ^ The former councillor was elected for the African National Congress but had since crossed the floor to the Independent Democrats.
  2. ^ The former councillor was elected for the Democratic Alliance but had since crossed the floor to the Independent Democrats.
  3. ^ The former councillor was re-elected to the ward on behalf of a different party.

References

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  1. ^ "Local Government Elections 2000 - Seat Calculation Detail: Witzenberg" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  2. ^ "2002 Detailed Floor Crossing Report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  3. ^ "2004 Floor Crossing - Summary report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d "Municipal By-elections results". Electoral Commission of South Africa. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Local Government Elections 2006 - Seat Calculation Detail: Witzenberg" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  6. ^ "2007 Floor Crossing - Summary report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Local Government Elections 2011 - Seat Calculation Detail: Witzenberg" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Election Result Table for LGE2016 — Witzenberg". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Political composition of councils February 2017" (PDF). Western Cape Department of Local Government. February 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Witzenberg". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  11. ^ Felix, Jason. "Recount of votes in Witzenberg Municipality sees DA regain its outright majority". News24. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Municipal election results - Electoral Commission of South Africa". results.elections.org.za. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Witzenberg". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Municipal By-elections results - Electoral Commission of South Africa".