DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — The upcoming KwaZulu-Natal municipal elections have triggered a massive overhaul in how political parties approach the KZN ward candidate selection process. With more than 900 wards up for grabs across the province, major political formations are implementing rigorous new vetting protocols, educational prerequisites, and independent oversight mechanisms to secure crucial voter support.
Securing the right ward councillors is viewed as the bedrock of local electoral success. These officials serve as the direct liaison between local residents and municipal authorities, functioning as the public face of their respective political organizations. Recognizing the high stakes, parties across the province have significantly elevated their vetting standards. While some formations have already finalized their rosters, others are wrapping up the final stages of their internal assessments.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has pivoted to a strictly meritocratic framework. Aspirants are now subjected to comprehensive interviews and competency evaluations to ensure they can handle the demands of local governance, with a heavy emphasis on long-term accountability.
Sithembiso Ngema, the KZN DA Leader, highlighted that strict supervision is the key to delivering results for the public. “People understand that there’s accountability,” Ngema explained. “The minute they understand that the supervision is there, that there’s somebody who’s keeping an eye on them, is the minute you will get the best result.”
He emphasized that the DA maintains the dignity of its organization by removing underperforming or misbehaving representatives. “We are the only party that fires councillors. We don’t keep a councillor that is not working. We don’t keep the councillor that is ill-behaving,” Ngema stated, noting that enforcing core principles and values is exactly what earns the public’s respect.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) is focusing on academic prerequisites and structural safeguards to eliminate internal manipulation. Historically, the party’s candidate selection phases have been plagued by severe internal friction, violent confrontations, and even political assassinations.
To neutralize these risks, KZN ANC Coordinator James Nxumalo revealed that the party has deployed neutral electoral officers to oversee every branch and ward. These impartial officials are now managing the Branch General Meetings, replacing the traditional branch leaders who previously controlled the process.
“What it has done is that this time around there are electoral officers in each and every branch and each and every ward,” Nxumalo noted. He explained that these new officers are completely impartial and unbiased. “Before, it used to be run by the leaders of the ANC, but this time around we said we need people who are impartial who are not going to be participating or not have an interest in the process.”
Beyond internal reforms, a broader industry trend is emerging: opening the doors to non-party affiliates. To rebuild public confidence, several organizations are actively recruiting respected community figures and seasoned professionals who possess strong local track records.
Mazwi Blose of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) detailed how this inclusive strategy operates on the ground. He explained that local branches have the autonomy to identify exceptional community leaders who are not currently card-carrying EFF members. If a branch identifies such an individual, the national leadership empowers the branch to approach them directly.
“We are giving that responsibility to that branch to say then go and then speak to that person and say, ‘hey, we’ve seen your work and we are saying that as the EFF, please come and be a candidate of the EFF,'” Blose stated, highlighting the party’s willingness to draft community stars based on their tangible impact.
This localized, integrity-driven approach aligns with broader shifts in the South African political landscape. Professor Bheki Mngomezulu, a political science and international relations expert at Nelson Mandela University, observes that historical party loyalty is no longer a guaranteed vote-winner.
“The issue of political parties that have done well in the past is long gone,” Mngomezulu asserted. He stressed that modern voters demand candidates with unimpeachable integrity who will genuinely advance the party’s agenda at the local level. Failing to field such individuals, he warned, “will be tantamount to committing political suicide.”
The Electoral Commission has officially launched the candidate nomination window. To avoid last-minute disqualifications, political parties have been strongly urged to conclude their internal vetting by the end of July. Meeting this timeline is critical, as it will allow formations to immediately submit their finalized candidate lists once the official voting date is gazetted.