Pretoria - The ANC in Limpopo has set its sights on regaining Modimolle-Mookgophong and Thabazimbi municipalities, which it lost to the DA in the 2016 polls. Although there was a low turn-out, scores of South Africans went out to vote on Monday in the local government elections.
Number crunching was the order of the day yesterday, as to which party would win the two farming towns.
The DA partnered with the FF Plus in Modimolle-Mookgophong after the 2016 elections. It also went to bed with the Thabazimbi Residents’ Association to govern the municipality.
However, speaking to Pretoria News at the Limpopo Results Operations Centre in Polokwane yesterday, ANC provincial spokesperson Donald Selamolela said the DA would not rule the municipalities again.
“In terms of our campaign we have put Modimolle-Mookgophong and Thabazimbi at the apex of our priority, to regain them to the control of the ANC. The levels of service delivery have since almost collapsed in those two towns and so on our campaign trail we have gone back to our people and apologised.”
He added: “As it stands with the ward councillor outcome we have in Modimolle-Mookgophong, we have received 12 out of 14 and Thabazimbi 11 out of 12. So that puts us in a strong trajectory to reclaim the two towns.”
Modimolle-Mookgopong is one of the poorest municipalities in the country, and has battled to provide basic services such as water in recent years, prompting community protests. The Limpopo government put it under administration in 2018 amid allegations of financial mismanagement.
The DA’s MP and constituency officer in both towns, Desiree van der Walt, said although she was worried about the outcome of the results she would rather wait for the outcome and the declaration.
Speaking to Pretoria News yesterday, Van der Walt said: “The ANC has put in a lot of campaign in those two towns. But do remember we inherited a lot of debt (more than R400 million)when we took over the municipalities. We had to pay debts before even doing anything in those municipalities. But there is now a lot of improvement.”
Van der Walt added: “We think that coalitions are the future of our country. It’s going to be a norm. Also, if we find a proper partner we will consider a coalition.”
When asked by Pretoria News if the DA would consider a coalition with the ANC, she replied: “No! That is our opposition and would never consider it. We would not consider teaming up with the EFF too.”
Pretoria News