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MK Party says eThekwini vote was rigged despite leading

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Empty council chamber with rows of wooden benches facing a raised podium.

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party won 38% of the vote in eThekwini in last week's local government elections. Its deputy president, Duduzane Zuma, said the party is still not satisfied and will focus on coalition talks.

Zuma spoke to journalists at the National Results Operation Centre in Midrand on Sunday night. He said there were some big hiccups, slowdowns and glitches in the count. He said the party's numbers stayed flat for a long time, which did not make sense to the party. The MK Party alleges that the vote in eThekwini was rigged. These are the party's claims, and the reports gave no proof.

The party was the third-largest in the 2026 municipal elections nationally. After the 2024 national and provincial elections, it became the second-largest party in Parliament. It challenged the Electoral Commission of South Africa at the Electoral Court after those 2024 elections.

Key facts

Who
Duduzane Zuma (First Deputy President of the MK Party); uMkhonto weSizwe Party (political party; contested local government elections, emerged as biggest…); Electoral Commission of South Africa (election body; MK Party previously challenged it at the Electoral Court after…)
What
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which emerged as the biggest party in eThekwini with 38% of the vote in last week's local government elections, said it was unhappy with the outcome and alleged the eThekwini vote was rigged. Party deputy president Duduzane Zuma said the party is still not satisfied and will focus on coalition talks.
When
8 November 2026
Where
eThekwini, Midrand, KwaZulu-Natal
Status
Reported

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