uMhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal — The MK Party has intensified its campaign trail in KwaZulu-Natal, with party President Jacob Zuma leading a major mini rally in uMhlathuze to mobilize voters ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
Held at the Eskawin College facility, the event marks a critical push for the party as it seeks to expand its political footprint and secure a decisive victory in the region’s municipalities.
Targeting uMhlathuze and Addressing Service Delivery
The MK Party has set its sights on taking over the uMhlathuze local municipality, which is currently governed by a coalition of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). Party leadership is targeting all 109 wards in the region, aiming to unseat the current administration by capitalizing on widespread frustration over poor service delivery.
Zandile Duba, the MK Party’s deputy coordinator for the sub-region, highlighted the severe infrastructure challenges facing residents as a primary motivator for the campaign.
“Around here, we don’t have water for four days. There is no way that as the MK Party we can allow the situation to go on,” Duba stated. She pointed out that refuse collection has also stalled, with skips overflowing, and emphasized that residents are ready to give the MK Party the opportunity to transform their living conditions.
Duba noted that the current leadership has been linked to corruption and poor service delivery, asserting that the party’s manifesto offers the only viable alternative for the community.
Mobilizing the Youth and Outlining a Broader Vision
Strategically, the MK Party chose a college facility for the mini rally to specifically target and mobilize the youth vote. Duba explained that the party is actively encouraging young people to engage in community development and the political arena, noting that the party’s first deputy president is a young leader who will also be in attendance.
Regarding President Jacob Zuma’s expected address, Duba outlined that his speech would focus on two main pillars: domestic constitutional reform and a broader Pan-African vision.
“The vision of our president is that we need to change the constitution of this country, and for us to be able to change that constitution, we need to get to that majority,” Duba explained. She added that Zuma would also emphasize the party’s commitment to the broader African populace, advocating for free and fair treatment for black people across the southern hemisphere.
Campaign Logistics and Ward Candidate Status
Despite a delayed start to the morning program, the rally saw massive turnout, with supporters gathering outside the stadium waiting for the party leadership to arrive.
Mundo Khubisa, a regional representative for the MK Party, explained that the delay was primarily due to supporters traveling from distant rural areas. “There are a lot of people outside of the stadium at the moment,” Khubisa noted, adding that local artists were brought in to entertain the crowds while they waited for the President, the Secretary-General, and the provincial convenor.
Khubisa also provided an update on the party’s electoral logistics, confirming that the MK Party is fielding ward councillor candidates in all 109 wards in the region. While the party has faced candidate nomination disputes in other parts of the province, Khubisa confirmed that the region has remained largely unified.
“In this region, we don’t have serious issues; only two wards in the uMhlathuze municipality were affected,” Khubisa said. He assured that the party leadership has directly engaged with the affected individuals to resolve the disputes, leaving the grassroots membership in a strong, supportive mood for the final campaign push.
With less than a month until the local government elections, the MK Party’s rally in uMhlathuze underscores their aggressive strategy to consolidate power in KwaZulu-Natal by directly confronting the ruling coalition’s service delivery record.
