Jacob Zuma’s MK Party surged in a by-election held in Richmond in southern KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday, taking a ward off the ANC.
On Wednesday MK won 54% of the vote, with the ANC managing 39%. In the 2021 local government election the ANC had managed over 80%.
MK has tended to underperform in municipal by-elections compared to how it performed in those wards in last year’s national election. However, this win will give a boost to the party ahead of local government elections, which are likely to be held in 2026 or early 2027.