ANC wins Cape Town

2004-04-16 18:07

Donwald Pressly

Cape Town - The African National Congress snatched political control of the City of Cape Town metropolitan council two years ago when the New National Party councillors defected from the Democratic Alliance - but now the national ruling party has won the most votes of any party in the city.

Wednesday's election results - while representing the provincial vote for the Western Cape legislature from the Cape Town area - show that if an election were held tomorrow the ANC would most likely emerge as the overall winner.

The ANC pulled in 454 282 votes or 44.09% of the vote - which if translated into a system which is half ward councillors and half proportional representation, would probably ensure it victory in the 200-seat council.

Municipal elections are scheduled for late in 2005. In the municipal election of 2000 the Democratic Alliance won a majority in the new metro. It was the only metro council in the country not then ruled by the ANC.

The DA gained 280 266 votes or 27.2% in the metro while Patricia de Lille's Independent Democrats won 82 749 or 8.03% - just behind the New National Party's 10.83% or 111 548.

The African Christian Democratic Party got 3.74% of the vote on Wednesday Cape Town and other parties which would get seats if a municipal poll was held tomorrow include the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, the Freedom Front Plus and the African Muslim Party.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)