In AbaQulusi Local Municipality, no political party managed to secure an outright majority in the 2026 Local Government Elections, meaning that the municipality will have a hung council.

IFP secures the most seats

According to the latest seat allocation published on the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) results website, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) secured the highest number of seats, with 20 of the 47 seats in the municipal council.

However, the party falls four seats short of the 24 needed for an outright majority, meaning it will need the support of other councillors to secure a majority in the council.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) secured 13 seats, followed by the African National Congress (ANC) with eight. The Democratic Alliance (DA) obtained three seats, while the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), National Freedom Party (NFP) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) each secured one seat.

The IFP won 18 wards, namely wards 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24. The MKP secured wards 1, 7 and 20, while the ANC won wards 5 and 10.

The DA took ward 9.

IEC reports smooth voting process

Selby Mthiyane, the IEC’s regional outreach officer in the Zululand District, said there were no major challenges during the voting process in AbaQulusi, despite some difficulties caused by the weather.

“There were no major issues experienced during the voting process in AbaQulusi Local Municipality. One challenge faced was the unfavourable weather conditions, but other than that, everything went well.”

He added that the municipality had 113,000 registered voters, with a voter turnout of 51%.

Residents across all 24 wards made their way to voting stations last Wednesday to cast their ballots and have their say in the municipality’s political future.

Several voting stations saw queues in the early hours of the morning, while supporters of different political parties sang and danced in the hope of securing their respective wards.

Voting proceeded smoothly at most stations in the Vryheid CBD, Bhekuzulu, eMondlo and other areas across the municipality, with no major disruptions reported during the day.

Residents hope for improved service delivery

Some residents described the voting process as smooth and free of delays, expressing hope that the outcome will bring improved service delivery and development to the municipality.

The election results also led to varying reactions on social media, with some residents celebrating their party’s victories while others expressed disappointment.

Ward 22 was among the areas that experienced confusion following the announcement of the results. MKP supporters initially celebrated what they believed was a victory for their candidate, only to later discover that the IFP had once again won the ward.

The announcement left residents with mixed emotions.

Ultimately, residents have expressed hope that the AbaQulusi council will prioritise service delivery, as the municipality continues to experience service interruptions.

Shortly after voting concluded on Wednesday, residents reported dry taps and frequent electricity interruptions.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.