It was a bittersweet day for the African National Congress (ANC) during by-elections in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

The elections follow the murder of two ANC councillors, who were shot dead amid increasing political intolerance ahead of the 2024 general elections.

In KwaZulu-Natal, Mkhambathini Local Municipality Ward 7 councillor Mzwandile Shandu, was shot dead in uMlazi in late September – 30 days after an initial attempt on his life. 

Vredenburg ANC councillor Arthur Gqeba, who reportedly survived two attempts on his life, was killed on the doorstep of his house, weeks after the Saldanha Bay municipality apparently withdrew his bodyguards, according to an IOL report.

As expected, the ANC held onto the party's traditional base - Ward 7 in KwaZulu-Natal. 

However, it lost the ward in Saldanha Bay to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

The ANC garnered 77.72% or 1 465 votes in the Mkhambathini ward.

The EFF came second with 269 votes or 14.27% of the votes.

It was followed by the Inkatha Freedom Party's (IFP's) 151 votes or 8.01%.

The ward's six voting districts have 4 047 registered voters, but only 1 885 votes were counted.

Meanwhile, in the Western Cape, the red berets stunned the ANC in its traditional stronghold, snatching 1 239 or 57.39% of the votes.

The ANC garnered only 920 votes or 42.61%. The two voting districts in the Vredenberg ward have 5 685 registered voters. Only 2 159 votes were counted.

The ANC had the last laugh in the Ramotshere Moiloa municipality in the North West, where it won 1 298 or 63.44% of the vote. 

The EFF's tally peaked at 402 or 19.65% of the vote, while Forum 4 Service Delivery attracted only 268 or 13.1% of the vote.

Lastly, a party which the Electoral Commission of South Africa's website referred to only as the IND attracted 78 or 3.81% of the vote.

The ward had 4 444 registered voters in its six voting districts.