DA’s Tania Campbell Elected Mayor of Ekurhuleni, ANC Accepts Defeat in Former Stronghold

• The Democratic Alliance (DA) has won the mayoral seat in Ekurhuleni, a metro that has been an ANC stronghold for 20 years
• Tania Campbell has replaced Mzwandile Masina as mayor, yet Masina remains amiable towards the incumbent
• The vote was disrupted by fighting between the EFF and ANC, following an EFF councillor breaking elections rules

EKURHULENI - The DA beat the ANC in Ekurhuleni's mayoral election, making Tania Campbell the metro's new mayor. Mzwandile Masina, the ANC's mayoral candidate as well as former mayor of the metro, amiably accepted the DA's win.

Campbell's chief commitment for her tenure as mayor is to ensure accountability and transparency in the tender issuing process.

The mayoral vote took place at the Germiston Council Chambers in the East Rand of Gauteng. The process was disturbed by an EFF councillor who photographed his ballot, SABC News reports.

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The mayoral election process

The EFF councillors disruption caused chaos in the chambers, as it led to ANC and EFF members engaging in a verbal altercation. Once the situation was diffused, voting could resume and Campbell was elected mayor.

When asked about his defeat, Masina said that he supports democracy, which he prioritises over selfish gains. He vowed to Campbell that the metro's transition from being ANC-led to being under DA control will be peaceful.

According to Times Live, Campbell's statement after her win stressed the importance of reliable service delivery and providing the necessary infrastructure to the metro's residents.

Reactions to the end of Masina's tenure

@08_jabu said:

"I suspect foul play here ! Masina have been vocal pro Zuma ! Something is fishy here - Politics is a dirty game indeed."

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@Aaron27552748 believes:

"Do you believe that there will be peaceful transition? I believe that they(ANC) sabotage."

@Queen_kiwe shared:

"That's what you get from infighting."

@Museven60824498 asked:

"Does he have any choice ?"

EFF insider explains why the party voted for the DA in Joburg and Ekurhuleni

Earlier Briefly News reported that despite the Democratic Alliance stating time and time again that they are not willing to work with the Economic Freedom Fighters again after a failed coalition in Tshwane, the Red Berets have forced a working relationship with the DA nonetheless.

The EFF made the decision to support the DA's mayoral candidates in all Gauteng metros. They say teaching the ANC a lesson was most the important factor. The move has surprised a lot of South Africans, including the DA federal chairperson Helen Zille.

With the support of the EFF, the DA has won mayoral posts in both the City of Johannesburg and the City of Ekurhuleni, taking over from the African National Congress.

Source: Briefly News