HOWICK, KwaZulu-Natal — Declaring the upcoming November 4 local government elections a definitive “two-horse race,” Democratic Alliance federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has positioned the DA and the MK Party as the sole contenders for municipal power across KwaZulu-Natal, warning residents that the ballot represents a stark choice between functional governance and what he described as “chaos and corruption.”
Speaking during a campaign rally in Howick, the seat of the uMngeni Local Municipality, Hill-Lewis made it clear that the DA’s immediate priority is defending the one council it has governed outright in the province since 2021. But his ambitions stretch further. The party hopes to use uMngeni as a blueprint to capture additional municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal and nationally, including in eThekwini and Durban.
The ANC’s Collapse Reshapes KZN Politics
Central to Hill-Lewis’s messaging was the dramatic weakening of the African National Congress in the province. He stated bluntly that the ANC has “completely collapsed” and now occupies the position of a “distant third party.” With the ruling party effectively sidelined in the regional contest, the DA leader argued that voters face a binary decision between his party’s track record and the MK Party, which is entering its first-ever local government elections after posting a strong provincial result in 2024.
“We are going to put up the best election fight that we can,” Hill-Lewis affirmed, pledging that DA campaigners would be working in communities “every single day” between now and polling day to motivate voters.
A “Turnaround Town” Led by Mayor Chris Pappas
Before addressing rival parties, Hill-Lewis took time to spotlight what he called a visible transformation under DA leadership. He praised uMngeni Mayor Chris Pappas and his team for governing with “humility and integrity,” pointing to tangible improvements across Howick, surrounding towns, and local townships.
“This is a wonderful story of a turnaround town,” Hill-Lewis said, arguing that uMngeni demonstrates how broken municipalities can be repaired. His appeal to undecided voters was direct: “If you want a town or a municipality where you live that actually works and that works for everyone, not for some, but for all, then give the DA a chance and trust us with your vote.”
Winning Trust in Informal Settlements
The campaign itinerary included a walk-through of the Shiyabazali Informal Settlement, an area where housing backlogs, water access, and basic services remain critical challenges. Hill-Lewis acknowledged these shortcomings but drew attention to upgrades delivered under the DA-led council, including newly installed solar lighting and VIP toilet facilities in what was previously a completely unserviced community.
He highlighted a striking electoral shift in the settlement. In 2021, the DA received very few votes in the area. By the 2024 national and provincial elections, the party had not only grown its support but actually won the precinct. Hill-Lewis cited this as proof that delivering basics and making “visible and meaningful improvements to people’s quality of life” can earn trust regardless of a community’s historical voting patterns.
Election Violence Raises Alarm
The campaign stop also confronted a darker reality gripping KZN politics: the safety of candidates and public representatives. Hill-Lewis addressed the recent killing of a councillor in eThekwini, who was shot dead the previous Thursday in an incident whose motive remains unknown.
He condemned the murder as “really bad for democracy” and “totally incompatible with a free and fair election and a constitutional democracy.” Without naming specific parties, Hill-Lewis suggested that some political formations feel threatened as the DA makes inroads into areas where it previously had little support.
“I would just encourage them: this is a democracy,” he said. “Do not ever let that sense of good healthy democratic competition turn into intimidation and violence.” He called on all contesting parties to commit to a peaceful, free, and fair electoral process.
The Road to November 4
Whether the DA can hold uMngeni and replicate its model elsewhere in KwaZulu-Natal remains an open question. What is certain is that the party views the November 4 elections as a defining moment — one where, in Hill-Lewis’s framing, voters must choose between a municipality that functions and one consumed by instability. The DA leader’s message was unambiguous: unite behind the DA, and the party will deliver working towns and cities.
