Municipal by-elections: MK party rocks GNU rivals, wins first ward outside KZN

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has claimed a valuable scalp in the municipal by-elections held on Wednesday, 28 August.

MK party’s Thabiso Molefe upset the African National Congress’ (ANC) Nomziwakhe Ntsoeu and the  Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Thabo Modimokwane to claim Ward 45 in the Rustenburg municipality.

In eThekwini’s Ward 34, which had been a Democratic Alliance (DA) stronghold, voters chose the independent candidate Andrew Akkers over the DA’s Jerald Raghunath.

Majority of wards held

Voters went to the by-election polls in 14 wards across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), North West, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape.

Other than the surprises in Rustenburg and Durban, the other 12 wards were held by the incumbent parties.

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Five of those were and will continue to be run by the ANC, with the DA maintaining their dominance in the seven others.

DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga congratulated his three new councillors. In the City of Johannesburg, Ward 89’s Zander Shawe and Ward 87’s Kyle Jacobs, will join Tshwane Ward 92’s Shimmy Mashamaite.

“We are especially encouraged by the results in Tshwane, reaffirming that voters believe in the DA’s ability and proven track record of good, clean governance,” stated Msimanga.

The DA also secured three Western Cape wards and one in Madibeng in the North West.

MK party – A blow to ANC

The ANC will be happy with their five victories but the loss to the MK party in Rustenberg will give the inexperienced newcomers hope for the 2026 municipal elections.

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A new member of the MK party’s High Command, Floyd Shivambu, took to social media to celebrate the first major victory of his tenure.

“Congratulations to volunteers in Rustenberg Ward 45 for an emphatic win in the by-elections. Best wishes to Comrade Thabiso Molefe as he joins the Rustenburg council as a councillor of the MKP.

“Many other MKP councillors will be joining you,” he posted on X.

Molefe secured 43% of the votes, with the ANC trailing at 33% and the EFF third with 24%.

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