Celani Sikhakhane
The IFP has made a huge comeback in many ANC-led municipalities and districts in KZN which they lost under former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.
They lost the municipalities in 2006 and 2011, which went on to become the centre of the ruling party’s stronghold in the province.
When the results started coming in following Monday’s municipal elections, it quickly became clear that the ANC had relinquished the municipalities to the IFP.
The municipalities include UThukela District, uMkhanyakude District, UKhahlamba local municipality, King Cetshwayo District, Pongola local municipality, Maphumulo Local Municipality, Newcastle Local Municipality, uMlalazi Local Municipality, uMfolozi Local Municipality and eMnambithi, UMkhanyakude District and Mtubatuba Local Municipality.
ANC KZN spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said they suspect a low voter turnout was the reason the ANC lost the municipalities.
“ANC members didn’t vote for any party. Instead they chose to stay at home. Because of that we ended up losing many municipalities to the IFP,” said Ntombela.
“We need to do an introspection so that we can find out what really went wrong.”
In 2016 former IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi was celebrated at the IEC results Centre in Durban after he managed to retrieve the municipalities which they lost in 2011.
At the time, Buthelezi said their win proved that political analysts who had already written the obituary of the party had got it wrong.
