ANC, SACP due to face off in hotly contested Polokwane by-election

POLOKWANE - The gloves are off in Polokwane, Limpopo, as alliance partners, the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP), are due to face off in a hotly contested by-election.

This is the first time the SACP has fielded its own candidate in an election since resolving in 2024 to no longer contest under the ANC banner.

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On Wednesday, voters from Polokwane’s ward 13 will be casting their vote for a new councillor following the expulsion of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member Mafiwa Leballo for not attending council meetings.

SACP councillor candidate Obed Thabana said poor service delivery, water shortages and billing discrepancies are the order of the day in the ANC-run Polokwane municipality.

“Then you have got the Juju Valley VD [voting district], very interesting one - an informal settlement where recently the ANC-led municipality went to demolish the shacks of the people of Juju Valley, saying they are not supposed to stay in Juju Valley.”

ANC Limpopo secretary Reuben Madadzhe said formalisation of the Juju Valley informal settlement can only be brought by the ANC.

“What we’re assuring the voters is that, give us some time, a chance as the ANC, so that we can link the ward councillor with our government. We are the leading party in the municipality and in the district and provincial administration.”

Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema is due to cast his ballot on Wednesday afternoon, as this is his home ward.