The Bitou Local Municipality council consists of thirteen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Seven councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in seven wards, while the remaining six are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 18 May 2011 no party obtained a majority; the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the African National Congress (ANC) won six seats each, with the remaining seat going to the Congress of the People (COPE). The DA and COPE formed a coalition to govern the municipality.[1]

The DA won a ward from the ANC in a by-election held in 2014, and governed Bitou alone with an outright majority of seats on the council.[2]

A hung council was elected following the 2016 municipal elections, with the DA and ANC each winning six seats, and the final seat going to the Active United Front (AUF). The AUF chose to join forces with the ANC. However, six months later, in April 2017, the AUF announced that the partnership had fallen apart because the ANC had frustrated attempts to establish clean administration, had failed to commit resources to address problems, had not implemented the coalition agreement, and had not signed the agreed-upon service delivery plan. The DA and AUF negotiated for a month, following which the DA gained control of the municipality.[3]

Results

The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.

Event ANC DA Other
2000 election 640
2002 floor-crossing 622
2004 floor-crossing 721
2006 election 731
2011 election 661
2016 election 661
2021 election 454

December 2000 election

The following table shows the results of the 2000 election. [4]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress5,40059.8535,52561.9436
Democratic Alliance3,29036.4623,39538.0624
Independent candidates3333.6900
Total9,023100.0058,920100.00510
Valid votes9,02397.458,92096.63
Invalid/blank votes2362.553113.37
Total votes9,259100.009,231100.00
Registered voters/turnout13,79767.1113,79766.91

October 2002 floor crossing

In terms of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution and the judgment of the Constitutional Court in United Democratic Movement v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others, in the period from 8–22 October 2002 councillors had the opportunity to cross the floor to a different political party without losing their seats.

In the Plettenberg Bay council, one councillor crossed from the Democratic Alliance (DA) to the New National Party (NNP), which had formerly been part of the DA, and another councillor left the DA to sit as an independent.[5]

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after
African National Congress 6Steady 06
Democratic Alliance 4Decrease 22
New National Party Increase 11
Independent Increase 11

September 2004 floor crossing

Another floor-crossing period occurred on 1–15 September 2004, in which the NNP councillor crossed to the ANC.[6]

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after
African National Congress 6Increase 17
Democratic Alliance 2Steady 02
New National Party 1Decrease 10
Independent 1Steady 01

March 2006 election

The following table shows the results of the 2006 election.[7]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress7,14360.2057,07259.8427
Democratic Alliance3,58230.1913,69031.2223
Independent Democrats7296.1407416.2711
United Democratic Movement1201.0101481.2500
Independent candidates2031.7100
United Independent Front670.560660.5600
African Christian Democratic Party210.1801020.8600
Total11,865100.00611,819100.00511
Valid votes11,86598.7811,81998.44
Invalid/blank votes1471.221871.56
Total votes12,012100.0012,006100.00
Registered voters/turnout19,16762.6719,16762.64

By-elections from May 2011 to August 2016

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in March 2006 and May 2011.[8]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
26 September 20076 African National Congress Independent[Note 1]
24 June 20094 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

May 2011 election

The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.[9]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance7,95045.7728,55249.3546
African National Congress7,82545.0557,95545.9116
Congress of the People4662.6804732.7311
Independent candidates7804.4900
African Christian Democratic Party2951.7002771.6000
Plettenberg Bay Community Forum340.200480.2800
Cape Independence Party210.120230.1300
Total17,371100.00717,328100.00613
Valid votes17,37198.5917,32898.63
Invalid/blank votes2491.412411.37
Total votes17,620100.0017,569100.00
Registered voters/turnout24,97570.5524,97570.35

By-elections from May 2011 to August 2016

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in May 2011 and August 2016.[8]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
5 December 20122 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
7 August 20134 African National Congress African National Congress
17 September 20147 African National Congress Democratic Alliance

August 2016 election

The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.[10]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance9,14148.6049,14148.5626
African National Congress7,74641.1937,67340.7636
Active United Front1,0265.4609895.2511
Economic Freedom Fighters3531.8803381.8000
African Christian Democratic Party2051.0902101.1200
African Independent Congress1480.7902631.4000
Congress of the People930.490870.4600
Bitou Independent Party510.270620.3300
United Democratic Movement190.100410.2200
Democratic New Civic Association160.090110.0600
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa90.05080.0400
Total18,807100.00718,823100.00613
Valid votes18,80799.0518,82398.97
Invalid/blank votes1810.951951.03
Total votes18,988100.0019,018100.00
Registered voters/turnout27,86768.1427,86768.25

By-elections from August 2016 to November 2021

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in August 2016 and November 2021.[8]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
5 April 20172 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

November 2021 election

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[11]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance7,91440.2237,92140.5025
African National Congress5,68528.8935,72629.2814
Active United Front1,8069.1801,7388.8911
Plett Democratic Congress1,3356.7811,2196.2301
Patriotic Alliance1,1255.7201,1185.7211
Ikhwezi Political Movement6103.1006453.3011
Economic Freedom Fighters2991.5202691.3800
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party1600.8101470.7500
African Transformation Movement1450.7401440.7400
African Christian Democratic Party1070.5401280.6500
Good1040.5301060.5400
Bitou Concerned Residents910.4601000.5100
The Organic Humanity Movement860.440710.3600
Citizens Rights Protection Unity760.390710.3600
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania480.240560.2900
Cape Independence Party460.230500.2600
Africa Restoration Alliance350.180260.1300
Dagga Party50.030210.1100
Total19,677100.00719,556100.00613
Valid votes19,67798.9619,55698.89
Invalid/blank votes2071.042191.11
Total votes19,884100.0019,775100.00
Registered voters/turnout30,86364.4330,86364.07

Notes

  1. The former councillor was re-elected to the ward as an independent.

References

  1. "Political composition of councils" (PDF). Western Cape Department of Local Government. August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  2. "'Important' win for DA in Plett by-election". Independent Online. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  3. "ANC booted in Bitou municipality, DA takes over". The Citizen. 13 May 2017. Archived from the original on 16 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  4. "Election Result Table for LGE2000 — Bitou". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. "2002 Detailed Floor Crossing Report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  6. "2004 Floor Crossing - Summary report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  7. "Election Result Table for LGE2006 — Bitou". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "Municipal By-elections results". Electoral Commission of South Africa. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  9. "Election Result Table for LGE2011 — Bitou". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  10. "Election Result Table for LGE2016 — Bitou". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  11. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Bitou". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
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