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

The DA retained uMngeni local municipality by winning just over 60% of the vote. The council, anchored in Howick, was previously the party’s only municipality under its control in KwaZulu-Natal. Retaining it means the DA will continue governing there after first taking the council from the ANC in the 2021 local elections.

The margin matters because it is larger than the DA’s previous winning share. In the last election, the party won about 48% after receiving 14,000 votes. This time, it received just over 24,000 votes. Chris Pappas, the DA’s proposed mayoral candidate, called the result evidence that the party had delivered.

The result also carries wider political meaning. Dean Macpherson said the DA was growing substantially in the province. The party won all four predominantly Black township wards in uMngeni, despite MK having surpassed it there in the 2024 election. The municipality therefore remains a central test of the DA’s provincial appeal.

The DA’s support in uMngeni grew sharply between the two elections. Previously, it won about 14,000 votes and captured 48% of the vote. In the current election, it gained just over 24,000 votes and more than 60%. That means the party added roughly 10,000 votes, based on the figures given in the article.

The change is important because both measures moved upward. The vote total rose by more than two-thirds compared with the earlier figure. The share also increased by more than 12 percentage points, from 48% to just over 60%. These figures indicate stronger backing, not merely victory caused by opponents splitting the vote.

The growth gives the DA a stronger mandate in uMngeni. It retained the municipality with an overwhelming majority, according to Chris Pappas. Dean Macpherson linked the result to a broader provincial growth path. However, the article also notes that MK had beaten the DA in uMngeni during the 2024 election.

Winning all four predominantly Black township wards matters because ward victories show where a party’s support is located. The DA did not merely retain influence in familiar areas. It won every one of uMngeni’s four 100% Black township wards, and Dean Macpherson said it did so with a commanding majority.

The result is especially notable against the recent political background. Macpherson said MK received more votes than the DA in uMngeni in 2024. Had that been a local government election, MK would have been the largest party. The DA’s township performance therefore suggests that its support reached communities where it faced a serious recent challenge.

Politically, the victories strengthen the DA’s claim that it is growing in KwaZulu-Natal. They also help explain its overall majority of more than 60% in uMngeni. The article does not provide ward-by-ward vote totals, turnout figures, or demographic explanations, so the result shows electoral reach but not why each ward changed.

In a municipal council, a kingmaker is a party that holds enough seats to determine who can form a majority. It may not have the most seats, but larger parties cannot govern securely without its votes. The term describes bargaining power after an election, especially when no party wins more than half the council.

For example, if one party falls short of a majority in eNdumeni, eThekwini, or Msunduzi, it may need an agreement with the DA. The DA could then support a mayor, council speaker, budget, or governing coalition in exchange for policy commitments or positions. The exact arrangement would depend on the seat totals and negotiations.

The article says counting was continuing and indicated that the DA could become a kingmaker in those municipalities. It does not provide final seat numbers or coalition agreements. Its possible influence therefore remained an election outcome to be confirmed, while MK was leading overall in KwaZulu-Natal by late afternoon.

When no party wins enough council seats to rule alone, the municipality usually needs a coalition or another support agreement. Parties must find partners to elect the mayor and other council leaders. They also need enough votes to approve budgets, policies, and key plans. This changes governing from one-party control to negotiation.

For example, the largest party might form an agreement with the DA, ANC, IFP, MK, or another group. A smaller party can become decisive if its seats provide the final votes needed for a majority. That is the mechanism behind the term “kingmaker.” Agreements may cover policy priorities, leadership roles, or support on specific votes.

Coalition government can broaden representation, but it can also make decisions slower and leadership less secure. If partners withdraw support, a mayor or governing arrangement may face a vote of no confidence. The article points to possible DA influence in several KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, but it does not state their final seat totals or coalition outcomes.

South African local councils generally use a mixed electoral system. In ward elections, residents choose a specific candidate to represent their ward. In proportional representation elections, residents vote for a party. Parties receive additional council seats from party lists according to their share of the total vote. This combines local representation with overall proportionality.

The council’s final composition comes from adding ward seats and proportional seats. A party with more than half the seats can usually govern without partners. If no party reaches that threshold, parties may negotiate a coalition. The ANC, DA, IFP, MK, or another party can therefore control a municipality through its total seat count, not simply by winning the largest vote share in one ward.

The article reports vote shares and ward victories, but it does not give complete seat totals for the municipalities mentioned. The exact governing outcome in each council therefore depends on the certified allocation of both ward and proportional seats, followed by leadership and coalition negotiations.

A local municipality is a level of government responsible for a defined local area and its residents. Its elected council makes decisions about local planning, spending, bylaws, and service delivery. Municipal councils connect national and provincial government to everyday community needs, although responsibilities can differ between municipalities.

Common municipal responsibilities include water and sanitation, refuse collection, local roads, storm-water systems, public facilities, electricity distribution where assigned, and land-use planning. Councils approve budgets, set local priorities, oversee officials, and decide how municipal resources are used. They may also influence development approvals and community infrastructure.

The source focuses on election results rather than service responsibilities. It identifies uMngeni as a local municipality anchored in Howick, but does not list its services or council powers. These examples come from established general knowledge about South African local government. The practical importance of uMngeni’s result is that the winning party controls these local decisions through the council.