The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party will have their first shot at a seat in KwaDukuza come an April 2 by-election in Shakaskraal.

Prompted by the resignation of sitting councillor, Doeshiee Govender, the by-election will be the first locally contested by the surprise party from last year’s national elections.

Govender is a former African National Congress stalwart in Shakaskraal’s Ward 28, winning the councillor’s seat twice. In the last municipal elections in 2021, Govender and the ANC won 78.32% of the ward votes. He has since changed party however, and will now be on MK’s ballot in his former ward.

The ANC has not identified a candidate as yet, but are expected to run in the ward, while the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA confirmed they will not be running.

There have been 26 by-elections across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) since last year’s national election, where MK claimed 14.58% of the national vote and 44.91% from KZN. The party has contested 21 of those by-elections, winning two seats – in Ray Nkonyeni’s Ward 14 and Umzumbe’s Ward 11.

While their return has not been quite as triumphant as their national election success, the party has quietly and consistently competed. Most wards voted along the party lines of the traditional strongholds in that area – typically the ANC or Inkatha Freedom Party, but MK often emerged as the best performing opposition. Its candidates finished second in 13 by-elections.

For voters on one side of the ANC-IFP binary, MK appears to be a common middle ground option for those who have lost faith in their traditional party.

Elsewhere in iLembe, another interesting by-election is shaping up in Mandeni’s Ward 18 on April 30, which has had a vacant seat since the murder of ANC councillor, Phendukani Mabhida.

His murder made national news because he had made claims of alleged corruption within the Mandeni branch of the ANC just before his death. Whether his former constituents will look for another party to represent their interests remains to be seen.

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