The ANC believes it was on the right trajectory to win back electoral support in KwaZulu-Natal.
The once-governing party suffered a heavy electoral defeat in the province during last May’s general elections.
In eThekwini, considered the party’s stronghold, the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) recorded a landslide victory, claiming almost all the wards.
Decimated by the MK Party
The ANC itself has conceded that its splinter party, led by former head of state Jacob Zuma, had used the party’s machinery to craft its downfall.
But the ANC top brass believes the party has turned. And it is aiming to use the upcoming byelections as a barometer of the party’s electoral strength ahead of the 2026 municipal elections.
“We are encouraged that the programme of rebuilding is catching fire in KwaZulu-Natal. This has been shown by the results of the recent by-elections, where the ANC has reclaimed back power,” said Zizi Kodwa, the party’s deployee to the province.
On Wednesday, the ANC will test its mettle in a key by-election in ward 15. The ward is under the uMhlabuyalingana local municipality, far north of the province. It was previously won by the ANC during the 2021 municipal elections. And it became vacant as a result of the death of councillor Gidla Mdletshe. The MKP will be contesting its first by election in the council.
Six parties to contest the by-election
Wednesday’s by-election will be contested by six parties. These are the IFP, ANC, NFP, ABMM, AEF and MKP. The DA, while it will not contest, it will throw its weight behind the IFP.
The ANC’s provincial chairman Siboniso Duma believes the voters were warning up to the ANC.
“The ANC is back on the ground. We are now getting bigger numbers in areas where we lost elections during the 2024 general elections. In some of the VD’s where MK defeated us, we’re back in the bigger scheme of things,” Duma said.
The uMhlabuyalingana municipality is governed by the IFP.
