By Steven Lang
An analysis of vote counts in the Makana Municipality reveals at least three remarkable changes in the state of local politics.
The first, and arguably most extraordinary change, is the advent of the Makana Citizens Front (MCF) and its powerful surge throughout the 14 wards of the municipal area.
Local observers believed the MCF could do well in traditional DA strongholds and this indeed proved the case. The MCF had its highest levels of support in the only two wards where the DA candidates won – Wards 4 and 8.
In Ward 4 the MCF secured 31,62% and in Ward 8 it received 28,22% of votes. The MCF clearly swallowed large chunks of DA support and put historically safe seats in jeopardy.
It was not anticipated however, how well the MCF would do in traditional ANC wards. In some of these seemingly impregnable wards, the ANC saw its support plummet from the heights of 70-80% in previous elections to 50-60% levels in 2021.
Previously, if the ANC showed any vulnerability in its traditional strongholds, it feared populist discontent leaning towards the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The MCF surge effectively held the EFF in check.
The MCF’s even spread of support is astonishing as the only areas where the new kid on the block did not put in a significant showing was in the rural wards.
The second recalibration of power structures in Makana is a result of the precipitous drop in the number of people who voted for the ANC. The incumbent party still won 11 of the 14 wards and secured enough votes to add three more proportional representation (PR) seats to its caucus of Councillors – but now its majority in Council is as thin as it gets.
The ANC will have 14 out of 27 Councillors when Council reconvenes and will have to think carefully before putting any matters to the vote. Previously the ANC with twenty seats enjoyed a sizeable majority in Council and could comfortably disregard any objections from the opposition.
The third remarkable feature of Monday’s election was the massive drop in the number of DA voters. It lost support in all wards in Makana. In some wards the nosedives were shocking: in Ward 12 it crashed 51,45 percentage points and in ward 4 the loss was 28,82 points.
In large areas of Makana, the DA has ceased to be relevant to voters. The MCF took support from all parties, but it hurt the DA the most.
SmilingSouth 
Leave a comment