Results as at 10.30am on Thursday, November 5

The Democratic Alliance (DA) appears to have gained at least four wards in KwaDukuza, while the previously dominant African National Congress (ANC) looks to have lost significant ground.

Preliminary results also suggest a strong showing by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP). Official results for much of KwaDukuza remain outstanding and are yet to be confirmed by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

This according to preliminary results, which also indicate that the uMkhonto weSizwe Party has performed well across the municipality so far. Official results for much of KwaDukuza are outstanding and still need to be confirmed by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

According to the DA’s iLembe constituency, the party has won KwaDukuza town’s Wards 16 and 17, Etete’s Ward 20 and Glenhills’ Ward 26, all previously held by the ANC.

The party also retained its three wards in southern KwaDukuza: Wards 6 and 30 in Ballito and Ward 22 in Salt Rock.

At the time of publication, the MKP was leading the official count in KwaDukuza with just under 41% of votes counted, although only 14% of the vote had been included in the tally. Follow the live IEC results dashboard here.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the MKP has won seven wards (3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 23 and 28), while the ANC has retained five (7, 13, 21, 27 and 29). Preliminary results for the remaining 11 wards were still outstanding.

Heading into the elections, the DA held Wards 6, 22 and 30, the MKP held Ward 28 and the ANC controlled the other 26 wards.

KwaDukuza’s southern wards

The DA comfortably won at five of the six voting stations for which results were available across Ward 6 (Ballito Library and Ballito Gesinskerk), Ward 30 (Scout Hall, Townsend Park and Compensation) and Ward 22 (New Salt Rock City Open Space).

Results from Ward 22’s second voting station, Salt Rock Country Club, were not immediately available.

Incumbent councillors Jack Abrahams (Ward 30) and Privi Makhan (Ward 22) retained their seats, while new candidate Walter Schotter retained Ward 6 for the DA.

In Ballito’s Ward 6, Schotter received 3 187 (89.6%) of the 3 558 valid votes, ahead of Christa Manias from the Freedom Front Plus (VF+, 136 votes) and Rigby Heenan of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP, 75 votes).

The DA also won the KwaDukuza proportional representation and iLembe district ballots in similar fashion. Voter turnout across Ward 6’s two stations was 64.9%.

Abrahams took 85.5% of the vote across Ballito’s Ward 30, earning 3 172 of 3 708 valid votes. Sipho Masubu from the African National Congress (ANC, 126) and MKP’s Mimi Mnisi-Mtshali (119) were the next two best finishers.

The same parties finished first, second and third in the PR and District ballots, while Ward 30’s voter turnout was 68.5%.

Ward 22 will continue to be led by the DA’s mayoral candidate, Privi Makhan.

She claimed a whopping 91.8% of the 3 217 valid votes at the Salt Rock City Open Space station, ahead of the MKP’s Mantombi Twana (69 votes) and Sharon Egersdorfer of the VF+ in third (58). Voter turnout at the station was just under 69%.