Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party continues to dominate the polls in KwaZulu-Natal, with the party now sitting at 41.77% of the vote, with the African National Congress on 21.06%, followed by the Inkatha Freedom at 17.08%, this, as the numbers continue to roll in on Thursday.
The national and provincial elections this week saw the biggest voter turnout which has led experts to deem this a watershed moment for the country, marking 30 years of democracy.
Speaking to IOL, political commentator Thobani Zikalala said the ANC’s arrogance cost them in the elections.
“The ANC should have fixed its house. The voters are clearly saying that they want something different and something better. The MK Party represents a break in the status quo,” he said.
Zikalala explained that historically, Jacob Zuma, even from the speeches he has been giving, has been touting the idea of radical economic transformation.
He said if trends are to be taken into consideration, the MK Party will take the majority of the votes in KZN.
“Some of the bigger districts’ votes have not been recorded as yet. But if the MK Party is currently leading now, by the time those votes come in, those regions will decide the fate of KZN,” he said.
Zikalala added that the ANC discounted the ‘Zuma factor’ in KZN.
“It is about the politics of personalities. People will follow personalities, and Zuma exemplified this, as it shows that no matter where the person goes, the people will vote for them,” he said.
According to University of South Africa (Unisa) political professor, Prof Dirk Kotze, it is a matter of the ANC simply losing votes to the MK Party.
“Of the 16 percent loss in the ANC, 14 percent of that is going to the MK Party. The MK Party is dominant in KZN, taking most of the votes and there could be some support in Mpumalanga and Gauteng,” he said.
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe says the results of the MK party in KwaZulu-Natal have taken them by surprise. He insists the party will still secure over 50% of the vote.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has predicted the final results for the elections, with the elections forecasters projecting a massive 15% drop for the ANC.
IOL Politics