Chairperson, on 27 January 2010, the ANC retained all contested wards in by-elections in four provinces. In the Eastern Cape, the ANC retained Ndlambe in Port Alfred. In the Free State we won two wards in Letsemeng and Koffiefontein. In Mpumalanga we retained Mkhondo in Piet Retief; the Steve Tshwete ward in Middelburg; Thaba Tshweu in Lydenburg; Umjindi in Barberton and four wards in Lekwa, Standerton.
In the North West, we retained Ramotshere Moiloa. The lowest vote for the ANC was 61% and in the rest the majority was over 70%. In five wards, the ANC secured more than 90% of the votes, with one ward in Lekwa, Mpumalanga, being unopposed.
We are pleased with the people's vote of confidence in the ANC, particularly in Mpumalanga, where out of eight by-elections six were held in areas that experienced service delivery protests.
The decisive majority win of the ANC in these by-elections proves yet again that the people of South Africa have confidence that the ANC is the only party that can deliver a better life for all. Thank you. [Applause.]