Jacob Zuma’s MK Party has taken the lead in KwaZulu-Natal with 38.6% of the vote as ballot counting got under way after Wednesday’s national and provincial elections.
By Thursday morning, the ANC had 32.32% of the vote, the IFP 15.81% and the DA 7%.
Zuma abandoned the ANC to campaign for the MP Party breakaway. Its performance in his home province, which was previously governed by a comfortable ANC majority, is likely to affect the national vote outcome as the province boasts the second highest number of registered voters.
Nowhere was the MK Party’s strength more visible on election day than at Zuma’s own voting station in Nkandla.
The voting district is in an IFP stronghold, even during Zuma’s ANC presidency, but was visibly dominated by the MK Party on Wednesday with the IFP a close second.
MK Party takes early lead in KZN after Durban voters queue past midnight
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
Jacob Zuma’s MK Party has taken the lead in KwaZulu-Natal with 38.6% of the vote as ballot counting got under way after Wednesday’s national and provincial elections.
By Thursday morning, the ANC had 32.32% of the vote, the IFP 15.81% and the DA 7%.
Zuma abandoned the ANC to campaign for the MP Party breakaway. Its performance in his home province, which was previously governed by a comfortable ANC majority, is likely to affect the national vote outcome as the province boasts the second highest number of registered voters.
Nowhere was the MK Party’s strength more visible on election day than at Zuma’s own voting station in Nkandla.
The voting district is in an IFP stronghold, even during Zuma’s ANC presidency, but was visibly dominated by the MK Party on Wednesday with the IFP a close second.
Former president Jacob Zuma cast his vote on Wednesday in an election seen as the country's most important in 30 years.
The ANC’s visibility was reduced by Zuma’s change of allegiance and the EFF, which has also been visible previously, was non-existent.
TimesLIVE spoke to ANC supporters at the voting station on Wednesday. While they admitted they were unlikely to garner more votes than the MK Party and the IFP, they remained hopeful that the rest of the province would not follow the same path.
The IFP at the Zuma voting station said they did not expect to lose their stronghold, attributing the overwhelming MP Party visibility to “ANC differences” that will not affect them.
The MK Party, however, was adamant Zuma’s village would vote for him and reject the ANC — a trend they hoped would spread across the province.
From Zuma’s voting station in Nkandla to Durban, voters seemed determined to cast their vote at all cost.
In Durban, voters in Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu stood in queues well into the night.
In the city centre, voting stations in the Albert Park area, the Durban City Hall and Addington Primary School were still busy after the 9pm closing time.
After 1am, voters were still in long queues determined to reach the ballot boxes. Voting stations remained open.
TimesLIVE
MORE:
ELECTION RESULTS DAY 1 WRAP | Ballot box in uMhlatuze goes missing while in transit to local IEC office
IN PICS | TimesLIVE photographers capture 2024 election moments around SA
Elections 2024 done and dusted: protests, a fatality, technical glitches but a greater turnout than in 2019
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos