Zukile Majova writes that political parties are discovering, sometimes the hard way, that they had better pay attention to the daily concerns of those who elected them
“All politics is local” is a phrase commonly used in United States politics.
It reminds big and powerful politicians that focusing too much on national problems and ignoring local issues can result in them losing the next election.
South African political parties are now learning the importance of pleasing voters in every ward lest they risk losing the ward.
With no outright winner in 66 municipalities after the November 2021 municipal elections, one by-election could be enough to tip the scale.
Fresh out of organising by-elections last week, the IEC has scheduled by-elections every week until the end of November.
ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Bheki Mtolo just averted another by-election by convincing ANC ward councillor Prosper Phungula of Muziwabantu (Harding) Local Municipality not to resign after receiving threats to his life.
Bodyguards have been assigned to him.
Party bosses couldn’t risk another showdown with a rejuvenated IFP which won a by-election in the same municipality by 53%.
The IFP which received zero votes in Ward 11 last November, collected 843 votes last week.
Another by-election is scheduled for Ward 11, Nkomazi Municipality on Wednesday.
At least nine municipal by-elections will take place on 30 November.
Affected municipalities include Ward 33, Enoch Mgijima and Ward 20, Mhlontlo both in the Eastern Cape.
Ward 22, Mogale City and Ward 04 Merafong City will be battlefields for the Gauteng leg.
The rest of the by-elections will be in KZN; Ward 11 Maphumulo, Ward 05 Mthonjaneni, Ward 13 Abaqulusi, Ward 11 uMsinga, and Ward 10 uMdoni.
In other news, a Democratic Alliance councillor in Cape Town was detained in Philippi Police Station at the weekend for sexual assault and alleged rape.
The mayor of uPhongolo Municipality in Zululand Velephi Mavis Sikhosana has been exposed as having borrowed money from a businesswoman and promised to repay her with a tender.
In Vryheid, IFP mayor Mncedisi Maphisa has submitted an eye watering R900,000 fuel bill for just two months.
Hundreds of residents in Umzinyathi District (Greytown, Umsinga, Nquthu and Dundee) hit the streets at the weekend demanding water.
Michael Khumalo, the speaker at Abaqulusi has angered the ANC after being caught on video at a funeral promising the family of the deceased that he will fire an ANC member to make way for a member of their family to get employed in the municipality.
But the most anticipated showdown will be in Ekurhuleni Metro in Gauteng where unlikely bedfellows the ANC and the EFF plan to unseat DA mayor Tania Campbell through a vote of no confidence against her.