Residents, businesses and the community of Ward 17 have a new representative.
Stellenbosch Municipality’s Ward 17, bordered by the R44, Klapmuts Road and Long Street, had a vacancy for a councillor. A by-election was held last Wednesday (28 August), and voters of the ward selected the Democratic Alliance’s Jeremy Shaun Fasser as their representative.
Fasser, current deputy mayor for the municipality, beat the other candidates with 96,28% of the total votes cast, compared to 74,81% during the 2021 Local Government Elections. The by-elections’ voter turnout was only 19,28% compared to the 2021 LGE 55,80% voter turnout.
The local by-election was one of three held on the day by the Electoral Commission (IEC). In the Cape Town Metro (Ward 58) the DA also retained their seat and, in the Cederberg (Ward 2) the DA won the seat previously held by the African National Congress (ANC).
Michael Hendrickse, the IEC provincial officer, thanked all the registered voters who despite the extreme weather conditions on the voting days came to voting stations to cast their vote. Voters took the time to participate in the by-elections notwithstanding the recent National and Provincial Elections (NPE2024).
Now it is up to residents in the Stellenbosch University campus area, the residential area, Coetzenburg and parts of Koloniesland, to make sure they are registered for the by-elections taking place in Ward 8.
Voters of Ward 8 will have the opportunity to vote for their new representive on the Stellenbosch municipal council on Wednesday 23 October.
The IEC Western Cape urges all eligible residents to register or update their registration details this weekend (Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September) for the upcoming voting day. According to the IEC, the ward has 5 089 registered voters.
Citizens 16 years and older as well as voters’ resident in Ward 8 are requested to visit the registration stations to register to vote, check their registration details or status; and update their registration details if they now reside in Ward 8.
To register, eligible voters in the affected wards must be in possession of either a green barcode identity document, a Smartcard ID or a valid temporary identity certificate to be allowed to register.
To find out where you are registered, you can check your registration status online at www.elections.org.za or alternatively, SMS your ID number to 32810 at a cost of R1 per SMS or WhatsApp “hi” to the IEC’s WhatsApp chatbot on 060 088 0000.
The Proclamation of the By-Election is scheduled for Friday 13 September, which is also the opening of candidate nominations and also the last day for voter registration for the by-election.
Voter registration will continue online and at the IEC local office during office hours until the voters’ roll for the by-election closes on Friday 13 September.
Two more by-elections will take place on the day with residents in City of Cape Town’s Ward 8 and Ward 20 in George also preparing to make their mark for the municipal ward by-elections.
- For more information, contact the Stellenbosch IEC office on weekdays during office hours on 021 882 9054.
