Two municipal ward by-elections will take place in Mbhashe Municipality in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday, 13 September 2023, from 7am until 7pm (instead of 9pm – please note the early closure of the voting stations).

The by-elections will be contested by 10 candidates – one independent and nine (9) candidates from five (5) political parties.

Ward 01 in Mbhashe Municipality – EC121 will be contested by one (1) independent candidate, Luleka Margaret Tonise, and five (5) political candidates, namely, Ayabonga Tyatyaza of the African National Congress (ANC), Ntombokuqala Rolihlahla of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), Yonga Phandulwazi Mgayi of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Yamkela Makangela of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, and Hilda Vuyelwa Luke of the United Democratic Movement (UDM).

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 Municipal Elections was 31,03%.

Ward 02 in the Mbhashe Municipality – EC121 will be contested by four (4) candidates, namely, Penny Ntombifuthi Tomose of the ANC; Mbonisi Wiseman Mgushelo of the ATM; Bongani Manzenze of the EFF, and Mluniseleli Rufus Maxaulana of the UDM.

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the death of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 Municipal Elections was 48,16%.

Issued by the Independent Electoral Commission