ANC regains seat lost to IFP in KwaZulu-Natal by-election

With political parties now looking towards the 2026 local government elections, the ANC continues to show strength in by-elections, having regained a seat in KwaZulu-Natal’s Sweetwaters ward previously lost to the IFP.

The by-election in the ward was triggered by the IFP’s decision to expel councillor Sibusiso Ntuli.

The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) released results of Wednesday’s by-elections where the ANC won the two seats in KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape.

ANC councillor Mbongeni Zuma won ward 2 in the Msunduzi municipality. The party retained the seat it won in the 2021 municipal elections, with 51.36% of the vote.

The ANC is now only one seat short of an outright majority and only needs one councillor’s support to keep the mayoral chain, polling expert Wayne Sussman said.

The ANC has 39 seats, the DA 16, the EFF 10 and the IFP eight seats.

The ANC’s Gerrit Laban took ward 7 in the Hantam municipality, a seat previously held by the DA after the 2021 elections. Laban won with 45.68% of the votes cast, compared with 34.53% in 2021. Sussman said this was the third consecutive ward the ANC had won from the DA in the Northern Cape.

The ANC lost both provinces in this year’s election. The party managed to corner 49.3% of the vote in the Northern Cape, but only about 15% in KwaZulu-Natal after the formation of Jacob Zuma’s MK party. 

Sussman said the ANC came third in Sweetwaters in the May election, well behind the MK party which won more than 50% of the vote. The IFP ousted the ANC in a 2023 by-election. 

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party was humbled by the trust and confidence shown by the people in the by-elections. She said the victories reflected the resilience, hard work and dedication of the ANC to serving the people.

“They affirm that the ANC remains the movement capable of advancing the daily needs of South Africans and delivering the change they seek. The ANC’s successes at the polls demonstrate the people trust us to continue working for a better and more prosperous future.

“We extend our gratitude to all voters who placed their confidence in the ANC. This trust is not taken for granted and we remain committed to delivering on the promises made during the campaign. We also thank our dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure our message reached the people,” Bhengu-Motsiri said 

The MK party failed to contest the vacancy after concerns were raised about its candidate. MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu said the party noted the results, adding that the MK party still enjoyed majority support.

“We guided the process of councillor selection and registration, which produced candidate Nkosinathi Mshengu. Without mandate and permission, someone deregistered a candidate who was a product of community meetings and registered a candidate who lost in the selection process. The provincial leadership correctly challenged the wrongful candidate in court and reaffirmed our principled view on candidate Mshengu despite the court refusing.” 

Shivambu said the party instituted disciplinary measures against those who violated internal processes. 

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