Umshwathi, KwaZulu-Natal — The ANC in the Moses Mabhida Region of KwaZulu-Natal is actively exploring alternative strategies after the party failed to submit its Proportional Representation (PR) candidate list to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on time.
The Umshwathi Local Municipality, located in the Natal Midlands, has historically been a stronghold for the African National Congress. The local council consists of 27 seats, 14 of which are ward councillor positions. Despite the administrative setback regarding the PR list, regional officials are urging national leadership to explore all available avenues to retain control of the municipality, including potential engagements with electoral authorities.
Zet Luzipho, ANC Moses Mabhida Regional Co-ordinator, emphasized that the party is not ignoring the reality of the situation but is focused on making the best of a difficult circumstance.
“A big organization like the African National Congress cannot and has never run out of alternatives,” Luzipho stated. He stressed that finding a solution is necessary to ensure the democratic rights of South African citizens are honored, regardless of political affiliation.
Luzipho reinforced that the ANC operates as a unitary organization, noting that it would be “suicidal” for a regional structure to make unilateral decisions on such a critical matter. Instead, the regional leadership is giving the national executive the space and time to intervene. He confirmed that national leadership has recognized the magnitude of the challenge and is expected to send a deployee to brief local structures on the way forward, discouraging premature speculation about specific alternatives.
Skhumbuzo Nxumalo, an affected ANC PR candidate who was positioned number four on the unpublished list, addressed the growing anxiety among community and party members. He framed the current situation as a defining moment for the movement.
“It is a test of our character as a movement and a test of character of us as individuals who are affected by this situation,” Nxumalo said, expressing full confidence that the national leadership’s decisions will ultimately glorify the party.
Nxumalo strongly warned against opportunistic propaganda campaigns attempting to convince voters that the ANC has no registered candidates on the ballot. He clarified that all 14 ANC ward candidates are officially published on the IEC’s verified list. Because these 14 seats constitute an outright majority in the 27-seat council, Nxumalo highlighted that the party retains a clear pathway to govern the municipality, with or without the PR list.
“We have an opportunity… the ANC can still govern this municipality,” he explained, urging all affected PR candidates not to despair but to actively campaign for the party’s continued success.
The path to retaining the municipality will not be without significant political headwinds. The ANC faces a formidable challenge from the MK party, which secured all the wards in the municipality during the 2024 provincial and national elections. Additionally, the IFP has been experiencing growing support in several areas across the region, making the consolidation of the ANC’s existing ward majority a critical priority for the party’s regional strategists.
