Early results from the voting stations show that the former president Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe Party is in pole position in KwaZulu-Natal.
This comes as the number-crunching exercise has already begun at the results operation centre in KwaZulu-Natal.
Early indications show the ANC splinter grouping topping the province. So far, over 132 000 votes have been counted, amounting to 7% of the total voter percentage.
The MK Party leads the pack with over 56 000 votes, and the ANC is in second place with just over 27 000 votes.
The IFP is in third place, recording over 23 000 votes, and the DA has received 16 000 votes. Julius Malema-led EFF has only registered less than 4 000 provincial votes thus far.
Though it is still a long way to go until all results are counted in KwaZulu-Natal, experts have been predicting that the MK Party will make inroads in the province.
Electoral threat
According to the Independent Electoral Commission, KwaZulu-Natal has the second-highest number of registered voters after Gauteng.
ANC senior leader and MP, who hails from the province, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, conceded in an interview with the Sunday World on Wednesday that Zuma’s party poses an electoral threat to the ruling party.
“Clearly, the MK Party is quite visible. It is also giving us a run for our money in this ward,” Dhlomo told Sunday World.
“The contest is really between us and them. But the ANC will emerge victorious.”
The pre-poll survey also pointed to the MK Party causing an upset in KwaZulu-Natal, predicting that the party will receive at least 24% of the vote.
The poll also noted that the MK Party is likely to benefit from the EFF, ANC, and IFP support.
Potential to dilute the votes
The DA, on the other hand, explained to Sunday World that it was less worried about the MK Party in the province.
“Although it has the potential to dilute the votes, it won’t affect most, but the EFF, IFP, and ANC,” said Siviwe Gwarube, the DA’s parliamentary chief whip, during her visit to KwaZulu-Natal recently.
The DA has been among the parties that focused their campaigning in the province under the banner of “rescue South Africa”.
It also held a series of public engagements, bringing top officials from the Western Cape to sell the vision of the DA to voters in KwaZulu-Natal.
As the counting continues, leaders of various political parties are expected to hold behind-the-scenes talks about potential coalition agreements.
