The African National Congress (ANC) has managed to stay in control of the embattled Sol Plaatje municipality in the Northern Cape following by-elections on Wednesday.

The party retained six seats.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa said in a statement on Friday that independent candidate Boitumelo Joel Stout, who was previously an ANC councillor, won Ward 16 in the municipality with 47.08% of votes cast.

According to the Daily Maverick by-elections were called after seven ANC ward councillors were expelled from the party for working with members of the opposition in Sol Plaatje to topple the former ANC mayor Mangaliso Matika.

The group went against party instructions and voted for Pule Thabane to replace Matika as mayor instead of Patrick Mabilo.

Thabane was among the councillors that was removed by the ANC.

In a statement, released on Thursday, the ANC welcomed the results.

"The ANC believes that these results are an affirmation of the confidence the people of Sol Plaatje and Knysna have in the ANC as the only political home that can deliver a better life for all. Our success in Knysna where the ANC successfully won a ward previously held by an independent candidate demonstrates this confidence."