ANC keeps firm grip on uMhlathuze
A wrap-up of election results this morning for the City of uMhlathuze
AS of Friday morning with 90% of the votes counted, the African National Congress looks set to hold on to the City of uMhlathuze.
With counting halted overnight, the ANC leads with 63.86% of the votes while the IFP has 18.87% and the DA 11.38%.
Newcomer EFF made its mark in uMhlathuze garnering 3.83% of the vote with no seats as yet.
Hotly contested Ward 9 in Empangeni was in the balance for much of Thursday, with the DA claiming a large majority at Richem and Grantham Park voting stations.
It was however councillor candidate Erwin Palmer for the ANC who pipped the competition after the vote from uMhlathuze Village brought in overwhelming support.
Provisionally the ANC has retained wards 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 27 and 31.
The DA meanwhile has kept 2, 3, 23 and the IFP ward 33.
The remaining wards are still awaiting results, with the ANC in the lead in wards 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 16, 19, 24, 25, 32 and 34.
The contest for ward 29 is extremely close. With 90% of votes counted, the ANC has a slight lead at 48.81% and the IFP with 45.06% and the EFF with 2.48%.
The DA meanwhile is leading in Ward 26 with 45.15% of the vote, followed by the ANC with 34.02% and the IFP with 18.74%.
In the district meanwhile, the IFP has officially claimed Nkandla and Mthonjaneni (Melmoth), while uMfolozi has been officially won by the ANC.
The IFP won nine wards in uMfolozi and the ANC eight, forcing officials to take PR votes into account, giving the ANC the council.
Provisional results meanwhile show the ANC winning uMlalazi Municipality with 54.78%, the IFP with 39.8% and the DA with 2.38% with all the votes counted.
