THE IFP has emerged as the governing party of Ward 15 in uMhlabuyalinga after toppling the ANC during hotly contested by-elections on Wednesday.

This victory allows the IFP's Kwenzile Mthembu to take the reins as the new ward councillor, following the vacancy left by the passing of Gidla Mdletshe a few months ago.

The IFP staged an strong comeback, winning 48% of the votes in Ward 15, a significant increase from their disappointing 29% in the May general elections.

The party's resurgence comes after they lost many voting districts to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) during the May elections.

The MKP, which had garnered 54% of the votes in May, experienced a striking drop of 19% this time around, indicating a possible shift in voter sentiment.

Despite the ANC making a concerted effort to reclaim the ward, they ultimately garnered 30% of the votes.

Regional ANC chairperson Simphile Mdaka had expressed optimism before the contest about his party’s chances to retain the ward.

“We really need to retain our wards not only for renewal projects but also to strengthen our bargaining power in the municipality as we are still pursuing the NFP councillor to come back and vote with us,” Mdaka said before the election.

In the final tally, other parties, such as the National Freedom Party (NFP) and the breakaway Economic Freedom Fighters faction, known as the African Economic Freedom (AEF), managed to secure a mere 1% each.

Both the EFF and the DA did not field candidates in this by-election.

With the IFP now controlling 21 seats in the municipality, the party has cemented its position as the governing party in the municipality, aided by smaller parties.

In the current 39-seat council, the ANC holds 17, the IFP has 17, the EFF has two, and the DA, ACDP, NFP, and independent candidates each have one seat. This victory for the IFP reinforces their ability to influence local governance and sets the stage for a potential realignment of political alliances in the region.

DAILY NEWS