Siphelele Nketo
A NUMBER of political parties have emerged victorious in some municipal wards across South Africa, while vote counting, capturing and verification of results remain underway.
Ahead of the official announcement of the 2026 local government election results by the electoral commission on Sunday, November 8, African National Congress members in Kokstad broke into celebrations in the streets of Kokstad in party regalia and were seen waving flags on Thursday morning. Thoneka Mngonyama, the ANC’s Kokstad sub-regional task team coordinator, said that the party retained a number of wards in Kokstad and thanked the community of Kokstad for voting for the ANC to remain in control of the Greater Kokstad Municipality.
At the time of going to print, early results according to the IEC showed that the ANC in the Greater Kokstad Municipality conquered Ward 1, Ward 3, Ward 5, Ward 6, Ward 8, Ward 9 and Ward 10.
In the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Local Municipality, the MK Party emerged victorious in Ward 7, Ward 11 and Ward 13. In Johannes Phumani Phungula Local Municipality, the MK Party also won Ward 3, Ward 4, Ward 9, Ward 11 and Ward 12.
The MK Party’s regional coordinator in the Harry Gwala region, Bongani Msomi, was pleased with the party’s performance during elections.
No major incidents were reported in voting districts during the elections in the Harry Gwala district, said Simon Lingani, the IEC’s regional manager in Harry Gwala district. However, a police officer deployed in Mphithini, Donnybrook, was removed from the ongoing 2026 local government elections with the possibility of internal disciplinary processes being instituted to investigate her alleged unprofessional conduct.
This was reported by SAPS following information that the police sergeant allegedly arrived at a voting station in a vehicle which was branded with posters of a political party.
The police acting provincial commissioner in KwaZulu-Natal Major General Phumelele Makoba has reiterated that no unprofessional conduct by police officers will be tolerated.
“We reminded our officers of their responsibilities and how they must conduct themselves. Apart from internal disciplinary steps, we shall investigate contravention of any applicable Act so that we investigate the matter holistically and open criminal proceedings if investigations direct us to do so,” said Major General Makoba.
