Municipal by-elections to take place in seven provinces

Municipal by-elections will take place in seven provinces on Wednesday, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said.

The by-elections would take place in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the North West, and the Western Cape, the IEC said in a statement on Tuesday.

"A total of 63,466 voters are registered in the 65 voting districts where by-elections will be taking place," the commission said.

A total of 11 wards would be contested by 32 candidates representing nine political parties, and five independent candidates. One ward was uncontested.

Two by-elections would take place In the Eastern Cape.

Ward five in the Tsolwana municipality (Tarkastad) would be contested by the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance.

The ward was previously represented by an independent candidate and became vacant when the councillor resigned.

The Mbizana municipality's Ward 11 in Bizana would be contested by the ANC and the African People's Convention. The ANC councillor who previously represented the ward died.

One by-election would be held in the Free State in Qwa-Qwa.

Ward one of the Maluti a Phofung municipality would be contested by independent candidate Teboho Tshabalala, the ANC, and the Dikwankwetla Party of SA.

The ward became vacant when the ANC councillor resigned.

In Gauteng one ward, Ward 88 in the Tshwane municipality, would be contested by the ANC, the DA, the Economic Freedom Fighters, and the Inkatha Freedom Party.

The ward was previously represented by the ANC but became vacant when the councillor died.

Two by-elections would take place in KwaZulu-Natal.

Ward 12 in Newcastle would be contested by the ANC, the Congress of the People, the IFP, the National Freedom Party, and the SA Determined Volunteers.

The previous ANC councillor died.

Ward five in the Mthonjaneni municipality in Melmoth would be contested by the ANC, the IFP, and the National Democratic Party.

The ward became vacant when the ANC councillor resigned.

In Mpumalanga Ward 28 in Nelspruit would be contested by independent candidate Thubu Lucky Sithole and the ANC.

The ANC's previous councillor in the ward died.

Three by-elections would be held in the North West of which one was uncontested.

In Ward 24 in the Great Taung municipality in Reivilo the ANC's Joyce Malepe was the only candidate.

The ward became vacant when the party's previous candidate resigned.

In Ward six in the Tshwaing municipality in Delareyville the by-election would be contested by the ANC, independent candidate Toli John Tladi, the DA, and the EFF.

The previous DA councillor resigned.

The Matlosana municipality's Ward seven in Klerksdorp would be contested by two independent candidates Jabulane Samuel Dhladhla and Seadimo Angeline Madibo, the ANC, and the APC.

The ward became vacant when the ANC councillor resigned.

In the Western Cape one by-election would be held in Plettenberg Bay in Ward seven of the Bitou municipality.

The ward would be contested by the ANC and the DA.

It was previously represented by the ANC but became vacant when its councillor resigned.

The IEC said voting stations would open at 7am on Wednesday and close at 9pm. In Ward 11 in Bizana the voting station would close at 7pm.