By-election trends: Good news for Gayton; bad news for JZ, Julius; the DA’s “rocky road"; the ANC’s big Gauteng worry

In this interview with BizNews, Elections Analyst Wayne Sussman gives BizNews viewers an overview and in-depth analysis of the performances of main political parties in municipal by-elections since last year's national election. Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance (PA) emerges as “probably the most consistently improving party”; the Democratic Alliance (DA) has had a rocky road”; the African National Congress (ANC) has recovered “some support…mainly at the expense” of former President Jacob Zuma’s MKP which has suffered some “staggering drops”; the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) was “one of the most consistently improving” parties until it “ran into some potholes” towards the end of 2024, but recently won a seat off the ANC - and could be poised to do well in 2026; and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has “typically declined”, but recovered some support in a raft of by-elections in the mining belt of Thabazimbi in Limpopo.