Buoyed by scooping the second ward from the ANC in a recent by-election in KwaZulu-Natal. Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has now set its sights on winning all two by-elections in the province expected to take place on Wednesday.

This was revealed by the party Secretary-general Floyd Shivambu who said his organisation was adamant that it will win two wards in the province on Wednesday.

Shivambu said the party has already organised a media briefing on Thursday where it will reflect on the outcomes of the by-elections and the passing of the budget.

The voting for the budget will also take place on Wednesday which Shivambu said his party would reject if it has a Value-Added Tax (VAT) increase.

The party which enjoys the official opposition status in parliament vowed to take it to the streets should the Government of National Unity (GNU) parties vote for VAT increase even if it would be 0,01% increase.

The ward 28 in KwaDukuza Local Municipality north of the province became vacant when the ANC councillor Vishnugopal Govender resigned and subsequently joined the MKP which in turn fielded him as its candidate for the same ward.

The ANC has pinned its hopes on Lucia New Mlondo to retain the ward while the EFF have fielded Gibson Mbuthu.

The Inkatha Freedom Party is pinning its hopes on Mzukusi Mabengu. In uPhongolo Local Municipality in the north-east of the province, the MKP’s candidate Celimpilo Mavuso, Bhekinkosi Ndlangamandla(IFP) Ntokozo Radebe (ANC) and Phakamani Msibi (EFF) will battle it out to win ward 12. The ward became vacant after the IFP councillor passed away.

“We are going to win both ward 28 and ward 12 in KwaDukuza and uPhongolo municipalities respectively and on Thursday we will hold our media briefing to reflect on both by-elections results and the passing of budget,” said Shivambu.

The party has recently snatched ward 2 in Richmond Local Municipality from the ANC. It was the second ward taking it from the ANC after winning its first ward in Umzumbe Local Municipality in the south coast of the province.

Other by-elections will take place in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng.

willem.phungula@nil.co.za