In the aftermath of lukewarm relations between the IFP and the EFF in the City of uMhlathuze in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal north coast, the by-election set for Wednesday has become a highly contested affair.
The daggers are out and the battle lines have been drawn with all the political parties deploying their big guns to woo support in ward 12 in Mandlankala, eSikhaleni township. About 6 000 people are registered to vote.
The red berets have made it known that there is no time for complacency, saying the party wants to increase its voting tally in the council.
“We are going in full steam and we have fielded the best candidate. Our bigger plan in the near future is to govern the municipality on our own,” EFF provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza told Sunday World.
He said the by-election is crucial and will serve as a yardstick to measure the party’s support ahead of the national and provincial elections in 2024.
During the 2021 municipal elections, the EFF made big strides in the province, reducing the ruling party’s support to just under 50% in several councils.
It was the red berets who plotted the demise of the ANC in the City of uMhlathuze after it ditched the ruling party and formed a pact with the IFP and the DA to govern the council. Over the years, the ANC has been a dominant party in uMhlathuze.
The IFP also wants to snatch the ward and consolidate its majority in the municipality. The ANC recorded 59.29% of valid votes in the previous elections but a councillor resigned and a vacancy was declared.
“We are happy that people are now reading between the lines and are no longer subscribing to the propaganda peddled against the IFP. Our values of clean governance and service delivery are what make us stand out,” said party chairperson Thami Ntuli.
He acknowledged that IFP victory will increase the numbers and provide stability in the council. “At the moment, we have good relations with our coalition partners, but there is no secret that when you govern alone, there is more stability,” he said.
The IFP seems to have profited substantially from the popularity and legacy of its founder and president-emeritus Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Key to this is the manner in which he handled the divisive AmaZulu royal throne.
In all the three by-elections held since August at the King Cetshwayo district, the IFP recorded landslide victories.
With a budget of more than R5-billion, the City of uMhlathuze has become one of the highly sought-after councils in the province. Another interesting feature about the upcoming Wednesday by-election is that the IFP and ANC held their Siyanqoba rallies on Sunday in one area and promised service delivery.
The ANC, EFF, IFP and the congregational Christian Unity are the four parties contesting the by-election. Another key party in KwaZulu-Natal, the National Freedom Party, has been banned from participating in any future elections by the Independent Electoral Commission until it resolves it leadership squabbles.
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