ANC suffers another defeat to MK Party in KZN by-election, faces tough battle to woo voters
Umkhonto Wesizwe party continues its electoral resurgence, winning a key by-election in Mandeni Municipality, previously held by the ANC
Umkhonto weSizwe Party wins another by-elections in KZN
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
After another bruising defeat to the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) in a by-election in KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC is expected to face an uphill battle to win back voters in the province.
This is according to political analyst Daniel Silke, who stated that Wednesday's victory of the MKP in the by-election in Mandeni indicates that the ANC faces a significant challenge in regaining its dominance in the province. The ward was previously held by the ANC.
“There is no doubt that the ANC continues to face an uphill battle in KZN as it tries to reclaim lost ground. The party remains, broadly speaking, in disarray in KZN, and the inability of the party to begin a turnaround strategy is really reflected in these kinds of election results. All in all, this is another bitter disappointment for the ANC, and it shows the depth of dislike that voters have for the ANC, particularly in KZN,” he said.
This victory follows the MKP's recent success in another ward in the eThekwini Municipality, which was previously under the Democratic Alliance (DA), and in a by-election in KwaDukuza.
In a statement, the Electoral Commission of South Africa announced, “The Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party won a seat in Ward 18 of the Mandeni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal during the by-elections on 30 April 2025. The seat was previously won by the African National Congress in the 2021 Local Government Elections.”
The new councillor is MKP's Lindani Xhakaza. The party secured the seat with 41.89% of the total votes cast, while voter turnout was 48.18%.
The by-election also attracted controversy. The Electoral Commission revealed on Wednesday night that it is investigating alleged improper conduct at a voting station.
It stated that it is aware of reports regarding an incident in Mandeni during the by-election, where a presiding officer temporarily left to charge a voter management device at the voting station.
It said, “We take these reports seriously and can confirm that the officer has been temporarily suspended pending a full investigation. Initial findings suggest the device was supplied with an insufficient battery charge. We are thoroughly investigating the matter to ensure all electoral processes maintain their integrity,” the Commission stated. The Commission remains committed to maintaining transparent and fair electoral procedures, and further updates will be provided once the investigation is complete.