2 million people set to vote in eThekwini
The City of Durban is considered a key battleground for the province, as the MK Party seeks to unseat the ANC.
Karinda Jagmohan
A voter casts a ballot against the backdrop of the South African flag ahead of the 2026 local government elections, as 546 political parties and nearly 137,000 candidates contest seats across the country. (Picture credit: atlasfoto/123rf)
atlasfoto/123rf
Two million people are set to vote in KwaZulu-Natal's only metro, eThekwini, on Wednesday.
The City of Durban is considered a key battleground for the province, as the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party seeks to unseat the African National Congress (ANC).
The ANC lost its outright majority in eThekwini in 2021, relying on smaller parties to retain power.
Incumbent Mayor Cyril Xaba is among five ANC nominees for the position.
ActionSA has fielded provincial chair Zwakele Mncwango, while Hanif Hoosen is the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s nominee. In recent months, both parties secured court orders to have the municipality fix broken sewage infrastructure.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has nominated its member of Parliament (MP), Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, for the job, who served as a councillor in Inanda twenty years ago.
And the MKP has fielded church leader Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi.
Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said the party's strength relies on its leader
“As long as [Jacob] Zuma is around, the party is going to be okay... they are going to do okay in the local government elections in KZN and in some parts of Gauteng.”
Sixty-nine parties and 14 independent candidates will contest in the metro.