DURBAN - ANC members in ward 101 are fearful that internal ANC squabbles and low voter turnout could cost the party the ward.
Ward 101 is in Cato Crest in Durban. The ANC’s ward councillor candidate for the ward, Siyabonga Mkhize was killed earlier this month. However in terms of the election rules, his name remains on the ballot and if he wins the ward, a by-election will be held.
Local ANC members said they feared that a low voter turnout could open the door for an opposition party to take the ward.
In the last term, they said, the DA took full advantage of internal strife in the ANC and seized ward 30, which is separated by a road from ward 101.
At the Mayville Secondary School, the biggest station in the ward, ANC members complained to The Mercury that they were concerned about low voter turnout.
ANC Ward 101 branch chairperson Fikile Mazibuko, said: "People have not come out in their numbers to vote. In previous elections, by this time, the queue would be so long it would be going around the corner of the school. That is not the case this time around.
"People are angry at the ANC and some have stated clearly that they will not vote," she said.
The station has close to 2000 people on the voters roll, about 200 had voted by 10 am and more continued to trickle in.
"Its not just that our candidate for these elections was killed, people had already decided even before then that they will not be voting. This is extremely concerning. Ward 101 has many surburban areas that will be voting for the DA, which is the party that we are competing with," she said.
One community member said she was disenchanted with the ANC, so she had gone in, checked her name and got inked, took the ballot paper and dumped it in the ballot box without voting.
THE MERCURY