Durban — By midday on Monday, the battle for control of nine wards in KwaZulu-Natal – including three in eThekwini reached fever pitch – with parties vying for top positions in the by-elections engaged in last-minute bids to woo voters.
Ahead of the by-elections in Ward 33, uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) national organiser, Floyd Shivambu, visited the area on Tuesday, which includes Glenwood, Umbilo and Berea to bolster support for the party’s candidate Mvikelwa Mkhize.
The ward is a stronghold of the DA and became vacant after its former councillor, Sakhile Mngadi, was deployed as a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) after the May 29 elections.
The DA was confident of victory, with its provincial leader Francois Rodgers vowing around midday during his visit to the Glenwood Preparatory School, that the party would retain its ward.
“The people of this ward have shown confidence in us due to things we have done to improve the ward’s state. We are confident of victory,” he said.
The party is pinning its hopes on its candidate, Francine Kristopher, to defend the ward successfully.
The ANC also threw its hat in the ring, deploying Sthembiso Madlala as its candidate. Before the by-election showdown, all the parties contesting criss-crossed the ward in a bid to charm voters.
The DA won the ward by 67% during the 2021 local polls.
Another fierce contest unfolded in Ward 35 in uMhlanga, north of Durban, and other surrounding areas, which was also a DA heartland. The DA raked in 86% in the ward during the 2021 local polls and deployed Nicole Bollman as its councillor. However, it became vacant after she was deployed to Parliament after the May elections.
The DA fielded Bradly Singh to defend the ward from the ActionSA’s David Basckin and the ANC’s Xolani Mabaso, who were also gunning for the local top seat.
Also up for grabs was Ward 36, also previously governed by the DA, after the party mustered 82% of the votes in 2021.
The ward was left without a councillor after party councillor Shontel de Boer was deployed to the provincial legislature.
The contenders were Smangele Nsibande of the ANC, Heinz De Boer from the DA and Patrick Ncedana from the MKP.
Other by-elections took place in the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, where two by-elections happened in Wards 24 and 14, both previously governed by the ANC.
The other by-elections played out in Ward 4 (Mpofana Municipality), previously governed by the ANC, Ward 4 (Nkandla Municipality), governed by the IFP and Ward 6 in KwaDukuza Municipality, a ward previously led by the DA.
The Electoral Commission of SA, tasked with managing the elections, said the official results will be announced on Thursday.
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