Durban — Sworn political rivals, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and its arch rival, the ANC, were pitted against each other in six hotly-contested by-elections in the Umzumbe Local Municipality, on the South Coast, on Wednesday.
The results of the bruising contest were expected on Thursday (today), the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said.
Including Umzumbe, there were 12 by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal, which saw hundreds of residents trekking to the voting stations.
Of the 39 council seats, the ANC has 21, the IFP 14, and the EFF two, while the African People’s Movement (Apemo) and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) each have one.
All eyes were on Ward 11, where the former ANC Umzumbe speaker Sbonelo Maphumulo, from the well-known and wealthy Maphumulo family in the area, contested the ward as an MKP candidate.
He was expelled by the ANC earlier this year for leading a plot to oust Bongani Nyuswa as mayor.
Maphumulo was a key figure who wooed people to change sides in the recent elections.
He had previously told the Daily News: “We are going to win.
“That is non-negotiable. The people have warmly received our message. All that is left is the by-elections of the DA next.”
He said a change of guard was needed in the crisis-plagued municipality, and he slammed his former party for “running it into the ground”.
“These people (ANC) have failed to run our municipality. They have run it into the ground, and we need new leaders to save it.”
Some MKP candidates were expelled by the ANC earlier this year for colluding with the IFP in Umzumbe to oust Nyuswa.
However, the ANC went to court, the decision was reversed, and Nyuswa returned as mayor.
WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.
Daily News