ANC loses support in student areas

2016 elections have come and gone, but how have parties fared in the student-centric area of Braamfontein.  

Results from wards heavily subscribed by Johannesburg students show a decrease in support for the ruling ANC (African National Congress).  The governing party lost support by over 18 percent in Braamfontein with areas like Parktown and Melville also seeing a comparative decline.

At Wits University’s Old Mutual Sports Hall, 848 people voted out of 2 513 that were registered, a significantly low voter turnout.  Of those 848 votes, the ANC secured 47.08%, EFF 32.78% and the DA 16.75%.

Braamfontein itself saw extremely low voter turnout with a mere 5 624 voters making their mark out of over fifteen thousand registered voters. The ANC won Braamfontein followed by the EFF with 21.78% and the DA at 16.90%.

At Wits’ Education Campus in Parktown, the ANC slipped by over 11 percent to 29.09%, with the DA (Democratic Alliance), securing the majority of the votes at 50.56%.  Overall, the ANC won Parktown by 53.32% losing some 9% of the votes they had secured in the same area in 2011. The DA followed by 30, while the EFF secured 12.62%.  Melville was won outright by the DA with 79.63%.

While it may appear that the EFF has made a dent in the solid supporter base of the ANC, independent political analyst, Dr Somadoda Fikeni feels others reasons are at play. “The party’s (ANC) leader was limping from one crisis to another and that posed a reputational risk especially among urban workers and middle-class voters”, said Fikeni.  Fikeni added that the party failed to read the mood in order re-package itself.  “During the electioneering, they were still using the old messages of liberation”, he said.

Ward Councillors

The ANC’s Nokuthula Xaba is now the ward councillor of Braamfontein while  Martha Mazibuko of the ANC will be the councillor for Parktown while Bridget Steer of the DA will lead Melville.

Over 2 million voters cast their votes in the City of Johannesburg area on August, 3.  There were 270 municipal seats for parties to occupy.  The ANC got 121 seats with over a million votes, the DA received 104 seats with just under a million votes, whereas the EFF had 30 seats.