Kimberley - The Northern Cape has voted - and the ANC, while taking a serious knock, has still come out tops.
While the party lost some ground in this year’s provincial elections, dropping by around 7%, it held on to its outright majority - putting paid to any hopes by the DA of taking the Northern Cape and snatching the crown of premier for the blue party’s provincial leader, Andrew Louw.
The premier’s seat will now go to the ANC provincial chairperson, Dr Zamani Saul.
According to the latest figures available from the Electoral Commission’s provincial Results Centre, with 689 of the 707 voting districts counted (more than 97%), the ANC had 57.25 % of the provincial votes, while the DA was trailing in second place with 25.89 %.
While the ruling party lost ground in these elections, dropping from 64.4% of the votes in 2014, the DA gained some additional support, upping its base from 23.89% five years ago.
The big gainers, however, were the EFF, more than doubling its support from 4.96% to 9.57 %, and the Freedom Front Plus, increasing its support from 1.09% to 2.71 % over the past five years.
Still on a downward spiral, Cope lost even more ground, dropping from 3.60% in 2014 to 0.87 % in these elections, just slightly more than newcomer, Patricia de Lille’s Good party, which obtained 0.84 % of the provincial votes.
In 2009, Cope obtained 16.67% of the votes in the province.
The ACDP increased its foothold slightly, climbing from 0.57% to 0.74 % of the votes.
The scorecard for the remaining parties: AIC 0.55 %, KSR 0.25 %, Azapo 0.25 %, ATM 0.24%, AKS 0.15%, APC 0.15%, SRWP 0.13 %, PAC 0.11 %, AASD 0.09%, UDM 0.06%, ACO 0.05%, NFP 0.04%, IRC 0.03 %, and ACM 0.02%.
Voter turnout in the province was 64.59%.
Taking top spot in the province means that many names on the ANC’s list will now make it to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, joining Saul who is at No 1.
The male-dominated top names on the ANC’s list include Maruping Lekwene, former Sol Plaatje executive mayor Octavious Mangaliso Matika, David Dichaba, Mosimanegare Kenneth Mmoiemang, Gift van Staden, Bentley Gavin Vass, McCollen Ntsikelelo Jack, Bernice Sinxeve, Newrene Claudine Klaaste, Galerekwe Mase Monapole, Nontobeko Eveline Vilakazi and Limakatso Alfonsina Koloi.
The top names on the DA’s list include Andrew Louw, Priscilla Serina Johanna Isaacs, Harold McGluwa, Fawzia Rhoda, Reinette Liebenberg, Boitumelo Maxwell Babuseng, Isak Cornelius Christiaan Fritz, Gregory Allen Grootboom, Ohentse Jeremiah Mokae, Grantham Eugene Steenkamp, Michael Kaars, Wesley Allistor van Rooyen, Jacques Meiring, Philip Johan Vorster and Adam Jacobus Edward Claassen.
The EFF’s provincial list is topped by Shadrack Lapologang Tlhaole, Kesholohetse Glenda Lepolesa, Nevie Aubrey Baartman, Hilda Morometse and Moeketsi Kenneth Konote.