By-election shake-up in Northern Cape as independent, ANC claim victories

INDEPENDENT candidate Danfrid Herald Morolong delivered an upset in the Ward 5 by-election in Douglas, defeating the incumbent ANC to claim the seat.

Morolong secured 1,119 votes (46.86%), decisively wresting the ward away from the ANC in a multi-party contest. ANC candidate Gerrit van Staden finished second with 597 votes, while Patriotic Alliance candidate Deon Ellison received 458 votes. The DA’s Elidia Louw garnered 157 votes, and EFF candidate Nadine Jacobs received 57 votes.

Voter turnout in the Douglas ward was a relatively strong 65.71%, reflecting high community engagement in a hard-fought contest.

Hantam by-election

Meanwhile, the ANC has reclaimed a ward from the DA in the Hantam by-election, with Jaslin Janfred van Wyk emerging victorious in Ward 7.

Van Wyk secured 297 votes (42.13%), while the DA followed closely with 252 votes. The PA collected 85 votes, and the Freedom Front Plus finished with 51 votes. The ward recorded a voter turnout of 56.9%.

The results reflect a shifting political landscape across parts of the Northern Cape, with voters showing a willingness to back both independent candidates and changes in party representation at local government level.

The by-elections were overseen by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).