Seven municipal ward by-elections will take place in the Eastern Cape‚ Free State‚ Gauteng‚ KwaZulu-Natal and North West tomorrow (Wednesday). The by-elections are being contested by 18 candidates representing four political parties. Two wards are uncontested‚ the electoral commission said in a statement.Three by-elections will take place in KwaZulu-Natal: - Ward 10 in the Indaka [Waaihoek] Municipality – Contested by Siyabonga Ishmael Mbatha of the African National Congress; Sizwe Emmanuel Mbhele of the Inkatha Freedom Party; and Thamsanqa Khoza of the National Freedom Party. The ward was previously represented by the Inkatha Freedom Party and became vacant as a result of the death of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 70.01%- Ward 15 in the Abaqulusi [Vryheid] Municipality – Will be contested by Pretty Nobuhle Buthelezi of the African National Congress; Nestar Bukwani Manana of the Inkatha Freedom Party and Sphiwe Happy Mndaweni of the National Freedom Party. The ward was previously represented by the Inkatha Freedom Party and became vacant as a result of the death of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 63.77%- Ward 10 in the Ingwe [Creighton] Municipality – Contested by Wiseman Mncedisi Khumalo of the African National Congress; and Nhlanhla Protas Shezi of the Inkatha Freedom Party. The ward was previously represented by the African National Congress and became vacant as a result of the death of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 59.76%One by-election will take place in the Eastern Cape: - Ward 5 in the Camdeboo [Graaff-Reinet] Municipality – Contested by Izak Reid of the African National Congress; and Glenda Christina Mackelina of the Democratic Alliance. The ward was previously represented by the Democratic Alliance and became vacant as a result of the termination of the councillor’s membership from the party. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 51.66%Two by-elections have been scheduled to take place in the Free State of which one is uncontested. - Ward 4 in the Phumelela [Vrede] Municipality – Uncontested as Khehla Antony Sibeko of the African National Congress is the only candidate. No voting will therefore take place. The ward was previously represented by the African National Congress and became vacant as a result of the resignation of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 56.27%- Ward 1 in the Ngwathe [Parys] Municipality – Contested by Sanna Mthimkhulu of the African National Congress; and Robert Sadat Ferendale of the Democratic Alliance. The ward was previously represented by the African National Congress and became vacant as a result of the death of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 50.30%One by-election will take place in Gauteng: - Ward 42 in the Tshwane Metro [Pretoria] Municipality – To be contested by Sylvia Phendla of the African National Congress; and Phillip Andries Nel of the Democratic Alliance. The ward was previously represented by the Democratic Alliance and became vacant as a result of the resignation of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 66.17%Two by-elections have been scheduled for North West of which one is uncontested: - Ward 28 in the Moretele [Makapanstad] Municipality – Uncontested as Nnuki Robert Tseke of the African National Congress is the only candidate. No voting will therefore take place. The ward was previously represented by the African National Congress and became vacant as a result of the resignation of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 65.69%- Ward 16 in the Rustenburg [Rustenburg] Municipality – Will be contested by Maria Bodenstein of the African National Congress; and Cheryl Phillips of the Democratic Alliance. The ward was previously represented by the Democratic Alliance and became vacant as a result of the resignation of the councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2011 municipal elections was 49.69%Voting stations will be open from 07h00 to 21h00. A total of 37‚805 voters are registered in the 40 voting districts where by-elections will be taking place. It excludes the seven voting districts in the two wards which are uncontested...