ANC emerging as the biggest loser in KZN — but it is still early days

If the ANC ever felt invincible, the people of KwaZulu-Natal are showing the party that it is not too powerful to be booted out of power.

While final election results are not due to be released until Thursday, the ANC is emerging as the biggest loser, with more losses suffered than any other party in Monday’s local government elections. 

As election results began trickling in on Tuesday, the IFP was steadily regaining lost ground in former strongholds it lost in 2011 due to the breakaway that resulted in the NFP. 

On Tuesday evening just a few municipalities had counted and verified results — uMngeni, Mpofana, Endumeni, Emadlangeni. 

The IFP is poised to retain the Zululand district, adding Uphongolo local municipality, which was previously governed by the ANC, to its ranks — but the party failed to win the Dumbe local municipality.

The IFP’s victory mode continued in the King Cetshwayo district, where they reclaimed Nkandla and Mthonjaneni, and won the uMlalazi and Umfolozi local municipalities. The district was also previously under the ANC.

The IFP again managed to score another district, Umkhanyakude, where it won the local Mtubatuba, Jozini and Hlabisa/Big 5 councils.

The IFP has also retained Nquthu and Umsinga in uMzinyathi district. 

In Uthukela district, the IFP is likely to win all local municipalities including Inkosi Langalibalele, Alfred Duma and Okhahlamba. 

The DA also made history when it won uMngeni, which comprises Hilton, Merrivale, Howick and Mpophomeni in the KZN Midlands — the first municipality it will govern in KZN.

In various municipalities across the province, while the ANC will likely win — the IFP has once again won wards from the ANC where the party did not exist previously. 

This includes wards in Ray Nkonyeni and Umziwabantu in the south coast, an ANC stronghold. 

In Newcastle, the IFP won seven wards it did not have previously; in Dannhauser it won six new wards. 

In eThekwini, where only 20.1% of the voting results had  been counted and verified on Tuesday evening, the ANC was leading. 

The ANC was also leading in Harry Gwala district, Ugu, Umgungundlovu and iLembe.

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