Another Big Blow For EFF: Another Senior Member Of EFF Has Dunps The Party And Joined The ANC, Check

Lionel Dlamini, a long-serving EFF councillor in the Kokstad Local Municipality, has reportedly switched sides and joined the ANC. The move was welcomed at an event led by ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo, according to the KZN Tonight Podcast. For the EFF, it is a sting in southern KwaZulu-Natal, and it lands right in the middle of the run-up to the 2026 local government elections.

Councillors matter a lot in local government. They sit at the table where decisions on service delivery, municipal admin and community projects get made, so when one of them changes colours, people in town start asking questions. Here, though, the questions outnumber the answers. Nobody has explained why Dlamini left the EFF, and the party has not yet given an official response. It is also unclear whether his move will shift anything in the council or the balance of seats in Kokstad. Until Dlamini speaks for himself, his reasons remain a mystery.

For the ANC, the welcome is a chance to grow its footprint in the area, especially with the elections approaching. Defections like this often get read as a sign of momentum, but one councillor does not tell the whole story of local politics. Voters in Kokstad will be looking at what each party actually delivers for their wards, not just who is switching teams.

So here is the question for you: does a councillor switching parties mean they have changed their principles, or are they simply following the party that they believe can deliver for their community? Share your take below and tag a friend from Kokstad who has an opinion on this one.

Source: https://x.com/ZANewsFlash/status/2112888944039706928