Mbalula Concedes Jacob Zuma’s MK Party Eroded ANC Stronghold In KwaZulu-Natal

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has candidly acknowledged the formidable political grip of former South African president Jacob Zuma, admitting that his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has severely eroded the ruling party’s traditional support base in KwaZulu-Natal. Mbalula’s remarks follow the ANC’s heavy defeat in the 2026 local government elections, where it lost substantial ground in a province long considered one of its safest strongholds.

Speaking as election tallies emerged, Mbalula confessed that party leaders had anticipated an uphill battle in the region. Paying tribute to Zuma’s enduring grassroots sway, he described the former president as “insimbi kayigobi”—an isiZulu phrase translating to “unbending iron”—and noted that the ANC entered the polls fully aware of the steep challenge ahead.

The electoral figures underscore a dramatic political realignment across KwaZulu-Natal. Zuma’s MK Party captured roughly 34% of the provincial vote, relegating the ANC to a distant 20%. This marks a precipitous collapse from the 2021 municipal elections, when the ANC commanded approximately 41% of the province’s electorate, firmly cementing the MK Party as the region’s dominant political force.

Mbalula further revealed that internal polling had forewarned the leadership of an impending rout, admitting the party had even feared total political wipeout in the province. He noted that key segments of the middle class had abandoned the movement, stressing that the organization must urgently diagnose why loyal voters walked away.

Accepting that the electorate delivered an unmistakable rebuke, Mbalula acknowledged that the ANC faces immense pressure to overhaul its strategy, address citizen grievances, and rebuild lost trust across KwaZulu-Natal.

https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2119068933969887478?a=zGnT7F78uDXsVVE64Ls&s=19

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