Zuma Celebrates as MK Party Surges Ahead in KZN

Former president Jacob Zuma has celebrated a strong showing by his uMkhonto weSizwe Party in KwaZulu-Natal during the 2026 local government elections.

Speaking outside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban on Friday, where his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla appeared in court, Zuma said the results proved what the party had promised. “We told you we were going to take that place and we’ve taken it,” he told reporters. He added that the party had always said it would take over and that people should thank them for delivering on their word.

With 71% of the provincial vote counted by Friday morning, the MK Party led with 34.55% of the vote and 264 council seats. The Inkatha Freedom Party sat in second place on 21.96% with 184 seats, while the African National Congress was third on 21.37% with 155 seats.

The party secured outright control of three municipalities. In Richmond, a long-time ANC stronghold, it won 56.27% of the vote and 10 seats, leaving the ANC with five. It also took control of iMpendle and the municipality registered as Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, also known as Johannes Phumani Pungula.

The biggest prize, eThekwini Metro, remains open. The MK Party was leading there with 42.18% of the vote, ahead of the Democratic Alliance on 22.33% and the ANC on about 17%. It still needs more seats to reach the 113 required for a clear majority.

Thirteen municipalities in the province have hung councils so far, and results in 28 others are still being calculated.

The performance follows the 2024 general elections, when the MK Party won 45.35% in KwaZulu-Natal but was kept out of the provincial government by a coalition of the IFP, ANC, DA and National Freedom Party. Zuma said the party is open to coalitions this time. “We are open. That is what we do. Because we want to rule the country, and we want the country to be run by the citizens,” he said.

These are the MK Party’s first local government elections. The early results show the party has maintained strong support in Zuma’s home province and has already taken control of councils that previously belonged to the ANC.

Source: https://x.com/News24/status/2118650032345825649?a=7OjZiwcYKVrtqpf3O8c&s=19

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