Residents still voting in by-election at Ward 13 in Seshego

Residents of Ward 13 in Seshego in Polokwane are still voting in a by-election to elect a new ward councilor. This is the first by-election in which the South African Communist Party is running independently from the ANC.

The position became vacant after an EFF councillor was expelled for misconduct three months ago. EFF leader Julius Malema and SACP councillor candidate, Obed Thabana, have also cast their votes in the election.

The Ward 13 by-election in Seshego is intensely contested. Political parties brought out their strongest leaders in the last push to garner votes. More than 9 000 people registered to vote.

Political parties, including the EFF, ANC, SACP, Labour Party and All Citizens Party, contested the elections.

Malema, who is a registered voter in Ward 13, spoke to the media after casting his vote.

“Very clear indications are that we are going to retain, actually not win, we are going to retain the ward, this has been our ward and it will continue to be our ward because we are of service to our people and our people know the organisation and our people support the organisation. That is why we are confident that we will retain this organisation win, retain the ward, this has been our ward.”

Meanwhile, this is the first time that the SACP is competing against the ANC in an election.

“We had a common goal with the African National Congress which was to fulfill the aims and objectives of the national democratic revolution which we felt ANC was better suited to lead the struggle towards the completion of the national democratic revolution. Socialism requires an organisation like the South African Communist Party to lead the alliance, it has never been suited to lead the struggle towards socialism, it was better suited to complete the aims and the objectives of the national democratic revolution,” says Obed Thabana, SACP Ward councillor candidate.

Visuals: ANC, SACP face off in Polokwane by-election

“I mean not during our lifetime, we never thought it would be so early we never thought it would start in Limpopo because the congress decision of the South African Communist Party, it says they are going to contest the local government elections in 2026, now it is 2025 they have rolled it back, it is their decision, we are not worried about it but we are saying we are pushing our own campaign,” says Reuben Madadzhe, ANC Limpopo Secretary.

The Independent Electoral Commission in the province will release the results before midnight.