The DA has retained the Mangaung Metro Municipality ward 47 in the by-election with Rudi Maartens as the party’s new councillor. According to the Electoral Commission (IEC), the DA earned 50,02% of the total votes compared to 44,20 % during the 2021 municipal elections. The turnout of voters who went to the polls to elect their preferred councillor was 31,32% of the total of 8 645 who had registered.
The by-election for ward 47 was held on 28 and 29 November and the outcome confirmed Maartens as the new councillor replacing Mokgadi Kganaka, who resigned to join newly formed party having taken over in 2019. She replaced John de Bruin, who also resigned. The by-election outcome sees the DA retain its status in the Mangaung Metro council as the main opposition with a larger portion of other opposition parties in the Mangaung council. The DA has 26 seats while the EFF has 12 seats.
Five political parties contested by-election for ward 47 and there were no independent candidates as in the July by-elections in four wards; 7,29,49 and 50. The DA lost in the July by-elections as the ANC retained the four wards which became vacant after the party expelled candidates, accusing them of voting with opposition parties to unseat the ANC in the MMM council. This culminated in the ruling party losing the powerful position of speaker to the DA, whose candidate, Maryke Davies, served a short stint in the council. The ANC in Mangaung has regained the speaker position after it successfully removed Davies through a motion of no confidence in September, with Lawrence Mathae elected as speaker. Despite being unable to claim ward 47 too, the ANC still has the majority in the Mangaung Metro council with 51 seats.
Other opposition parties represented in the Mangaung Metro council based on their seats are the following: Freedom Front Plus, 5 seats, Patriotic Alliance, 2 seats,
African Alliance of Social Democrats, 2 seats. The parties with one seat each
are the following: African Independent Congress, African Christian Democratic
Party and African Transformation Movement.
