Inside MK’s eThekwini battle: Why the party’s big election ambitions are under threat - IOL

The MK Party faces fresh internal turmoil in eThekwini after party leader Jacob Zuma replaced Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi as the mayoral candidate, while the ANC insists it will retain control of the metro.

The MK Party’s internal battles are putting its bid to take control of eThekwini under pressure, with the party replacing its mayoral candidate less than two weeks after announcing her, and launching a probe into the alleged manipulation of councillor lists.

The developments come less than two months before the November 4 local government elections, after party president Jacob Zuma dissolved the MK Party’s Presidential Task Team for the second time in six weeks.

Zuma replaced Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi as the party’s eThekwini mayoral candidate 12 days after announcing her, naming national chairperson Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi as her replacement.

Hlophe-Mkhwanazi and Sibonelo Maphumulo were also removed from the National Party Liaison Committee, pending an investigation into the alleged manipulation of candidate lists.

Independent political analyst Goodenough Mashego said the latest developments could hurt MK’s prospects in eThekwini, where the party had previously been regarded as a strong contender.

“Two months ago, one would have said the MK Party is going to take the city hands down, because of the support that it has shown around the townships that make eThekwini,” he said.

Mashego said the party’s leadership structure was also contributing to the instability, arguing that the absence of an elected leadership had concentrated decision-making around Zuma.

eThekwini is one of the MK Party’s biggest targets in the local government elections, after it secured about 45% of the KwaZulu-Natal vote in the 2024 provincial election.

The party had previously set its sights on winning a two-thirds majority in the metro. In May, MK regional elections co-ordinator Zanele Makhanya said the party was confident it could take control of eThekwini with an overwhelming majority.

However, the latest developments have raised questions about whether the party can maintain that momentum, particularly after members raised allegations that councillor candidates chosen through the party’s processes were replaced on lists submitted to the IEC.

Mashego said divisions within the party could affect its campaign.

“When there are factions within a party, people don't go out and campaign for that party,” he said.

“You need a cohesive leadership that goes out and achieves the aims of the party.”

Mashego said MK could still perform strongly in the elections, but was unlikely to secure the decisive victory that had previously appeared possible.

“I think they're still going to do well, though, but they're not going to get it hands down,” he said.

The ANC is among the parties competing for control of eThekwini, alongside the DA, IFP, EFF, ActionSA and others.

An Ipsos poll released recently placed MK at 55% among registered voters who expressed a party preference in eThekwini, well ahead of the DA on 17% and the ANC on 10%. Ipsos said the figures showed MK with majority-level support in the metro, although the election outcome remains uncertain.

The ANC has rejected the polling picture and remains confident it can retain control of the metro.

ANC KwaZulu-Natal convener Mike Mabuyakhulu said the party was concentrating on its own campaign rather than its rivals.

“We’re focusing on ourselves and the people,” Mabuyakhulu said in a media briefing on Thursday. 

“The only people who will give us a vote or not give us a vote are the masses of our people and not surveys.”

Mabuyakhulu said the ANC expected to remain the biggest party in eThekwini.

“But we can simply say that the ANC shall retain eThekwini and the ANC will be the biggest political party. We’re putting our best foot forward. You shall see as we approach the elections,” he said.

The ANC is also yet to finalise its mayoral candidate for the metro.

Mashego said the MK Party could still win a significant number of seats without necessarily securing the mayoral position.

“If there are any prospects of them governing eThekwini after the elections, they'll need to go into an alliance with another party that might do well,” he said.

Mashego said the IFP could become important in coalition negotiations if neither the ANC nor the DA had enough seats to form a government.

The MK Party could therefore emerge with the largest number of seats in eThekwini without necessarily securing the mayoral position.