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MK Party leads KwaZulu-Natal count but may miss power

Published

Ongoing: Elections Hot

With more than 90% of votes counted, the MK Party has won three KwaZulu-Natal municipalities outright and leads in 10 other councils. More than 20 municipalities are expected to be hung, so coalition talks will decide who governs.

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has won just one municipality outright, compared with 13 in 2021. The party said it will deepen its renewal agenda after another electoral decline in the province. Provincial ANC spokesperson Sifiso Sonjica said the party has done much better than in 2024.

The MK Party said it cannot stop other parties from keeping it out of government in councils where it did not win a majority. MK Party KZN leader Willie Mchunu said the party is determined to avoid a repeat of the 2024 provincial coalition outcome.

Coalition talks are due over the next week. In the 2024 general elections, the ANC took 17% of the vote in the province, a historic low, and the MK Party took 45%.

Key facts

Who
Willie Mchunu (MK Party KZN leader); Sifiso Sonjica (Provincial ANC spokesperson); uMkhonto weSizwe party (political party (MK Party)); African National Congress (political party (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal)
What
The MK Party has won three municipalities outright and has the most votes in 10 other KZN municipal councils, with more than 20 municipalities expected to be hung and coalition talks due over the next week. The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has won just one municipality outright, compared with 13 in 2021, and says it will deepen its renewal agenda.
When
7 November 2026
Where
KwaZulu-Natal, North West
Status
Reported

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