At least 62 municipalities were hung in the past local government elections -- meaning they are now governed through coalitions.

A single seat can swing the entire control of a municipality.

Four municipal by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West got underway on Wednesday.

All four wards were previously ANC-controlled, with three wards vacant as a result of the deaths of ANC councillors. The fourth by-election resulted from the decision by a councillor to give up his ward and resign.

Councillor positions have become dangerous in some municipalities as councillors' salaries have shot up to between R45,000 and R112,000 a month, depending on the size of the municipality.

A councillor in a metro earns over R1.4 million, excluding perks like car allowance, housing, medical, cellphone and security.

The voting station opened at 7 am on Wednesday in Ward 03 in Maquassi Hills in the North West, but the EFF campaign had started weeks earlier, culminating in a soccer and netball competition in the local Thambo 1 Sportsground.

The Fighters hosted local teams, combining voter registration with campaigning for the upcoming by-election.

In Blouberg Ward 11 in Mpumalanga, the ANC wheeled out the big guns including David Mahlobo, the Mpumalanga local boy and deputy minister of human settlements and water and sanitation, to support party candidate Mokgadi Molokomme.

"I want you all to go out and vote, vote for the ANC councillor candidate comrade Mokgadi Jennet Molokomme," said Mahlobo.

Other by-elections were in Ward 13 in the uMhlathuze Municipality in KZN and Ward 03 in the Madibeng Municipality.

With the national general elections less than 10 months away, parties and the IEC are still battling to get over five million young people of voting age to register to vote.

The 2024 election is expected to be a watershed election that could see the ANC majority reduced to below 50% in provinces like Gauteng and KZN.