The ANC defended a ward in Mpumalanga, in a by-election held on Wednesday.
The by-election, held in the Govan Mbeki municipality (Secunda), was made necessary because the sitting ward councillor, Simphiwe Sindelo, was murdered last year.
On Wednesday the ANC won just over 50% of the vote, slightly up on the 44% it had managed in the 2021 local government election.
The MK Party managed just below 30%, while the EFF were the only other challenger of consequence, with 18%.
The ANC will be relatively happy with its performance, but the MK Party, in its first appearance outside of KwaZulu-Natal, shows that it could pose a threat to the ANC in other parts of the country too.