THE uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is high on confidence after defeating its sworn rival, the ANC, in a fiercely contested by-election in Ward 2 of the Richmond Municipality on Wednesday.
Ahead of the by-election, the ward was considered one of the ANC’s strongest support bases in the province.
However, that changed when the Jacob Zuma-led MKP secured 54% of the vote, while the ANC earned 39%, a massive decline from the 84% the party garnered in the 2021 local government elections.
The EFF secured third place with 5%, while the IFP and Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance (PA) both received a meagre 1% each.
MKP’s Msizi Dlamini will now take over as the new councillor for Ward 2.
Following the victory, MKP Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate: “When we announced the Top 8 of the KZN detachment in January 2025, we guided that the province, region, sub-region, and all MK Ground Forces must defend the gains of uMkhonto weSizwe in Richmond Ward 2. We did exactly that.”
Despite the loss, the ANC remains the dominant force on the 14-seat council, holding eight seats, followed by the EFF with two. The MKP, DA, IFP, and Independent candidates each hold one seat.
The ANC’s defeat comes despite the party deploying its bigwigs, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile, to campaign in the ward in January, ahead of the election.
The party’s former provincial chairperson, Siboniso Duma, now second provincial deputy convener in reconfigured structure, also launched an extensive charm offensive, but that failed to sway the more than 4,000 registered voters.
In contrast, the MKP’s provincial convener, Willies Mchunu, led a massive campaign alongside the party’s head of elections, Bongani Baloyi.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of the former ward councillor. With this victory, the MKP, which was formed in 2023, the country’s official opposition, now governs three wards, two in KZN and one in the North West.
The ANC will now look to retain a ward in the next by-election, set for next Wednesday in Joubert Park, Johannesburg, where it will once again face off against the MKP and EFF, among others.
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