# Bushbuckridge Local Municipality elections

The Bushbuckridge Local Municipality is a Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The council consists of seventy-six members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-eight wards, while the remaining thirty-eight 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 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of fifty-three seats.

## Results

The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.
| Event | ACDP | ANC | APC | BRA | DA | EFF | PAC | Other | Total |
| 2006 election | 1 | 57 | — | — | 2 | — | 5 | 3 | 68 |
| 2011 election | 1 | 55 | 3 | 7 | 3 | — | 1 | 4 | 74 |
| 2016 election | 0 | 53 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 4 | — | 0 | 76 |
| 2021 election | 0 | 53 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | — | 9 | 76 |

## March 2006 election

The following table shows the results of the 2006 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 65,320 | 73.72 | 32 | 70,926 | 85.22 | 25 | 57 |
| | Independent candidates | 14,553 | 16.42 | 2 | | | | 2 |
| | Pan Africanist Congress of Azania | 4,818 | 5.44 | 0 | 6,183 | 7.43 | 5 | 5 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 1,568 | 1.77 | 0 | 2,035 | 2.45 | 2 | 2 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 1,194 | 1.35 | 0 | 1,263 | 1.52 | 1 | 1 |
| | United Democratic Movement | 763 | 0.86 | 0 | 1,637 | 1.97 | 1 | 1 |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 232 | 0.26 | 0 | 592 | 0.71 | 0 | 0 |
| | Ximoko Party | 159 | 0.18 | 0 | 593 | 0.71 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 88,607 | 100.00 | 34 | 83,229 | 100.00 | 34 | 68 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 88,607 | 97.49 | | 83,229 | 93.54 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 2,283 | 2.51 | | 5,748 | 6.46 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 90,890 | 100.00 | | 88,977 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 198,849 | 45.71 | | 198,849 | 44.75 | | |

## May 2011 election

The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 81,338 | 72.03 | 35 | 87,006 | 76.83 | 20 | 55 |
| | Bushbuckridge Residents Association | 11,103 | 9.83 | 1 | 11,153 | 9.85 | 6 | 7 |
| | Congress of the People | 4,776 | 4.23 | 0 | 4,556 | 4.02 | 3 | 3 |
| | African People's Convention | 4,201 | 3.72 | 0 | 4,186 | 3.70 | 3 | 3 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 4,444 | 3.94 | 0 | 3,887 | 3.43 | 3 | 3 |
| | Independent candidates | 4,010 | 3.55 | 1 | | | | 1 |
| | Pan Africanist Congress of Azania | 1,800 | 1.59 | 0 | 1,020 | 0.90 | 1 | 1 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 843 | 0.75 | 0 | 839 | 0.74 | 1 | 1 |
| | United Democratic Movement | 366 | 0.32 | 0 | 441 | 0.39 | 0 | 0 |
| | Ximoko Party | 36 | 0.03 | 0 | 156 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 112,917 | 100.00 | 37 | 113,244 | 100.00 | 37 | 74 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 112,917 | 98.07 | | 113,244 | 97.53 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 2,228 | 1.93 | | 2,872 | 2.47 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 115,145 | 100.00 | | 116,116 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 223,190 | 51.59 | | 223,190 | 52.03 | | |

## August 2016 election

The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 89,017 | 69.28 | 33 | 89,156 | 69.65 | 20 | 53 |
| | Bushbuckridge Residents Association | 23,205 | 18.06 | 5 | 23,186 | 18.11 | 9 | 14 |
| | Economic Freedom Fighters | 7,201 | 5.60 | 0 | 7,036 | 5.50 | 4 | 4 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 3,944 | 3.07 | 0 | 3,777 | 2.95 | 3 | 3 |
| | African People's Convention | 3,051 | 2.37 | 0 | 3,186 | 2.49 | 2 | 2 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 396 | 0.31 | 0 | 551 | 0.43 | 0 | 0 |
| | Democratic Community Movement | 398 | 0.31 | 0 | 421 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 |
| | Congress of the People | 360 | 0.28 | 0 | 443 | 0.35 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent candidates | 633 | 0.49 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | Pan African Socialist Movement of Azania | 284 | 0.22 | 0 | 184 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 |
| | Agang South Africa | | | | 67 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 128,489 | 100.00 | 38 | 128,007 | 100.00 | 38 | 76 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 128,489 | 98.22 | | 128,007 | 97.88 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 2,329 | 1.78 | | 2,766 | 2.12 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 130,818 | 100.00 | | 130,773 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 244,180 | 53.57 | | 244,180 | 53.56 | | |

### By-elections from August 2016 to November 2021

In December 2020, the Better Residents Association (formerly the Bushbuckridge Residents Association) lost 3 of its 14 seats in the municipality after it expelled three of its ward councillors, and did not contest the resulting by-elections.

## November 2021 election

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 65,486 | 63.28 | 37 | 69,546 | 68.33 | 16 | 53 |
| | Economic Freedom Fighters | 10,119 | 9.78 | 0 | 11,183 | 10.99 | 8 | 8 |
| | Independent South African National Civic Organisation | 5,876 | 5.68 | 1 | 6,628 | 6.51 | 4 | 5 |
| | Independent candidates | 9,538 | 9.22 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | African People's Convention | 2,527 | 2.44 | 0 | 2,974 | 2.92 | 2 | 2 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 2,394 | 2.31 | 0 | 2,516 | 2.47 | 2 | 2 |
| | Better Residents Association | 2,377 | 2.30 | 0 | 2,359 | 2.32 | 2 | 2 |
| | South Africa My Home Residents Association | 1,686 | 1.63 | 0 | 1,715 | 1.69 | 1 | 1 |
| | Democratic Community Movement | 979 | 0.95 | 0 | 987 | 0.97 | 1 | 1 |
| | Bushbuckridge Locals Movement | 732 | 0.71 | 0 | 847 | 0.83 | 1 | 1 |
| | African Transformation Movement | 558 | 0.54 | 0 | 604 | 0.59 | 1 | 1 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 350 | 0.34 | 0 | 755 | 0.74 | 0 | 0 |
| | Equal Rights for All | 303 | 0.29 | 0 | 336 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 |
| | Power of Africans Unity | 61 | 0.06 | 0 | 510 | 0.50 | 0 | 0 |
| | African Unified Movement | 133 | 0.13 | 0 | 173 | 0.17 | 0 | 0 |
| | United Democratic Movement | 122 | 0.12 | 0 | 153 | 0.15 | 0 | 0 |
| | South African Royal Kingdoms Organization | 21 | 0.02 | 0 | 217 | 0.21 | 0 | 0 |
| | Congress of the People | 24 | 0.02 | 0 | 132 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 |
| | Able Leadership | 54 | 0.05 | 0 | 100 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| | The Organic Humanity Movement | 65 | 0.06 | 0 | 42 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 |
| | Human Dignity Restoration | 81 | 0.08 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| Total | Total | 103,486 | 100.00 | 38 | 101,777 | 100.00 | 38 | 76 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 103,486 | 97.80 | | 101,777 | 97.33 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 2,333 | 2.20 | | 2,791 | 2.67 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 105,819 | 100.00 | | 104,568 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 246,357 | 42.95 | | 246,357 | 42.45 | | |

### By-elections from November 2021

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period from November 2021.
| Date | Ward | Party of the previous councillor | Party of the newly elected councillor |
| 31 August 2022 | 13 | African National Congress | African National Congress |
| 31 January 2024 | 3 | African National Congress | African National Congress |
| 15 January 2025 | 24 | African National Congress | African National Congress |
In ward 13, the ANC candidate died, and in the by-election held on 31 August 2022, the ANC candidate retained the seat by 21 votes over the EFF.
In ward 3, sitting candidate Lot Nkuna was assassinated. The ANC candidate retained the seat for the party.