By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) impressive run in the back-to-back by-elections continued on Wednesday, after they won another ward in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
The Newcastle Municipality ward 28 by-election came a month after the party won several wards in the uMzumbe Municipality in the south coast.
The ward became vacant when party president Musa Thwala was removed as ward councilor. This after four TSSA (EFF’s splinter party) councillors conspired to have him removed.
During the hotly contested by election, the IFP claimed 852 votes, the MK 613, ANC 283 and TSSA 355.
“The IFP is humbled by these results and is grateful to the people for remembering and honouring the legacy of the late IFP founder and president emeritus, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi,” IFP deputy provincial chairperson inkosi Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala said.
“This significant victory for the party affirms the continued trust the people of KZN have in the IFP’s leadership.
“It is evident that the residents of KZN support the IFP’s decision to form a Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) in the province, which will ensure swift and effective service delivery, that will put the citizens of KZN first.”
The party has been on an upward trajectory with each and every ward it contest. It currently leads the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity under leadership of Thami Ntuli. In a space of less two months, the party has won five new wards.
During the May 2024 provincial and national elections, the MK Party became the biggest winner, It won close to 60% of the votes. The ANC came crushing down, only managing 12%, from the 59% the party had recorded in the 2019 national elections. IFP scored 21%, an increase of 2% from previous elections.
The EFF were the biggest losers. Its support plummeted from 19% to a dismal 5% during the recent elections.
The next by-election will be on 7 August when the ANC will defend a seat in Clocolan in the Setsoto municipality in the Free State.