The Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) has set its sights on governing the eThekwini Municipality after the next local government elections.
The party said that it wants to secure the Metro under its leadership.
MKP Convener in KwaZulu-Natal, Willies Mchunu on Wednesday spoke about the party’s ambitions for the upcoming local government elections, indicating that the recent national government elections demonstrated significant support for the party in the province.
Mchunu spoke to “The Mercury” on the sidelines of a media briefing held by the party to announce its plans for its one-year anniversary celebrations, which will be hosted next month.
Several celebrations will take place across the country, but the main event will be held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on December 15. The event will feature a keynote address by party leader and former president Jacob Zuma.
Mchunu expressed satisfaction that a significant portion of the celebrations will occur in KwaZulu-Natal, noting that the party has not hosted many large events in the province. He stated that they aimed to fill the stadium.
Regarding the party’s ambitions for the next local government elections, Mchunu reiterated that there is no greater goal than taking over eThekwini along with all municipalities and key economic hubs in the province.
The Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said last week that the next local government elections are scheduled to be held between November 2, 2026 and February 1, 2027.
The MKP said it believed that it has the numbers to achieve this, revealing that in the national government elections this year, it received around 600 000 votes in eThekwini alone, while the second-placed party garnered just over 200 000 votes.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) election results board shows that the party secured 1.6 million votes across the province, giving it 45% of the vote.
The MKP claimed it came first in all 11 districts across the province and led in all but five municipalities. Of the five, the ANC led in two while the IFP led in the remaining three.
“There is no other political ambition than to get eThekwini on our side. We have the votes, and the only thing we need is the support of our people right up to 2026. We are gearing up for that campaign, which is ongoing as we speak,” Mchunu stated.
He highlighted the importance of districts such as Pietermaritzburg, uMgungundlovu District, Ugu District, and Amajuba District, asserting that the MKP must lead these municipalities.
The party has also vowed to topple the Government of Provincial Unity in KwaZulu-Natal by next year. The DA, ANC, IFP, and NFP are part of the coalition government currently leading the province with a slim majority.
Party leader Magasela Mzobe said it was improper that the MKP, which received the most votes in KZN, was not governing the province.
He indicated that the upcoming rally would serve as a platform to mobilise the people of the province to push for the MKP to take over governance by next year.
“This rally, among other things, will be used to agitate and mobilise the people of KwaZulu-Natal to start a comprehensive programme of uniting all progressive forces to reject the IFP-DA-led government and ‘reinstate’ the legitimate government led by MKP, the party that received 45% of the electoral support,” Mzobe said.
When pressed on how this change would be effected, he did not provide specific details but indicated that they might rely on the “support” of ANC MPLs to vote alongside the progressive parties.
“The truth is, the people of KwaZulu-Natal made their choice, and that choice is MKP. It is overwhelmingly clear that it would be unresponsive for MKP not to fight to defend the votes and the democratic decisions made by the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” he stated.
“We will agitate and mobilise those who voted for MKP to help install MKP as the legitimate government of KwaZulu-Natal. We will use the 45% we received to remove the IFP-DA government, and with the help of the ANC and NFP, you will see who will vote with MKP.
“The clear intention is that the mismanagement of public funds happening now must be the last budget they are able to steal.
“The new budget comes on April 1, and by that time, MKP should be presiding over the government of the province.”
Political analyst Thabani Khumalo said MKP was within touching distance of achieving its goal in the eThekwini Municipality if the party can be prevented from disintegrating.
“The party is made up of many people who are disillusioned and disgruntled; some have lost business opportunities, while others have faced economic and political setbacks. To keep it together, it needs strong leadership.
The party is very strong on the ground and visible in communities, and their ambition in municipalities is possible,” said Khumalo.