DA wins back uMngeni by an increased majority, makes inroads in key KZN municipalities

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has retained uMngeni local municipality by just over 60% of vote share.

The party snatched the council from the ANC during the 2021 local government elections. Up until Wednesday’s elections, the council anchored in Howick, on the province’s midlands region, was the only one which the party controls in KwaZulu-Natal.

“For the last year we have become a beacon of hope for the rest of South Africa and our province as well. This result is testament that the DA has delivered. People who have never voted for the DA before have now put us back in power with an overwhelming majority,” stated Chris Pappas, whom the DA had put forward for re-election as mayor.

Dean Macpherson, the DA’s KZN provincial chairperson asserted that the DA was on a substantial growth trajectory in the province.

“In 2024, the DA suffered a setback after the MK party received more votes than the DA in uMngeni. If it had been the local government elections, MK would have been the largest party. In the four 100% black township wards in the municipality, the DA has won every single one of them with a commanding majority,” Macpherson pointed out.

In the last elections, the DA won the council with 48% vote share after attaining 14 000 votes. During this current election, the party gained just over 24 000 votes.

Apart from uMngeni, with the vote counting continuing, indications were that the party will also be a kingmaker in key municipalities such as eNdumeni, previously controlled by the IFP. This also includes councils such as eThekwini, the only metro in the province and Msunduzi local municipality. By late afternoon the MK was leading overall in KwaZulu-Natal. In various municipalities, the party claimed entire wards previously controlled by the ANC and the IFP. In the City of uMhlathuze, which boasts the critical Richards Bay port and several chemical and metal industries, the Jacob Zuma party also made a clean sweep.