Election results 2024: MK party deals game-changing blow to ANC in KZN

In what will be remembered as a defining moment in the province’s history, tremors turned into a full political earthquake.

Although they will be considered debutants, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party rode the colossal support for Nkandla’s favourite son.

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The charisma of former president Jacob Zuma, policies aimed at accelerating transformation and an unrivalled seduction of the Zulu people, helped the MK party achieve 45.93 % of the vote in the province.

MK party victory: KZN voters have spoken

While the figure may not be an outright majority, it is a clear signal from KZN voters that the ANC had failed to meet their needs.

ALSO READ: Election battlegrounds: Violence and tension grip, but who will be king of KZN after 29 May?

The African National Congress (ANC) achieved 55.47% of the vote in 2019, just a year after removing Zuma from the presidency. Five years on, and they have plummeted to 17.63%.

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) threatened to take second spot in the polls, but finished just short of the ANC with 16.29%. The figure is still an improvement on 2019, where they earned 14.58%.

Chirs Pappas has been hailed as a great unifier for the DA, but the MK party wildcard was always going to disrupt their plans.

The party registered a similar performance to 2019, securing 13.64% compared to 14.24% last time around.

Julius Malema’s and his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have been as the radical alternative since their first election 10 years ago.

EFF supporters in KZN wanting even greater measures to address inequality, may have been swayed by MK policies, as the party went from 9.96% in 2019 to just 2.56% in 2024.   

No coalition with ‘Ramaphosa’s ANC’

Jacob Zuma’s daughter and prominent MK party figure, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, claimed on Friday that there would be no alliance with the ANC as long as Cyril Ramaphosa was in charge.

Zuma-Sambudla said their preference would be to align with parties focusing on the progress of the majority.

“As long as you want land back, nationalisation, we are on the same page. For as long as they are still [led] by Ramaphosa, they are not with us.” 

ALSO READ: 2024 elections: No ANC-MK party coalition, says Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla