ANC Accepts Defeat in KwaZulu-Natal as Jacob Zuma's MK Party Emerges Victorious

DURBAN, South Africa — The African National Congress (ANC) has conceded defeat in South Africa's second-largest province, KwaZulu-Natal, following a dramatic decline in support during the recent provincial elections. Once governing the province with an outright majority, the ANC has now dropped to third place.

With nearly all results counted, former President Jacob Zuma's MK Party has surged to the forefront, securing 45% of the vote in elections for the provincial legislature. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has claimed the second spot with 18%, while the ANC's vote share has plummeted to 17%, a significant drop from the 54% it garnered in the 2019 election.

"We are humbled by the electorate and accept the result," said ANC KwaZulu-Natal spokesman Mafika Mndebele in an interview with local TV station Newzroom Afrika. He also mentioned that the ANC is in contact with other parties to form a stable coalition government in the province.

The MK Party's rise in KwaZulu-Natal can be largely attributed to Jacob Zuma, who announced in December that he would campaign for the party. Zuma, who has always maintained a loyal following in his home province, stated he could not support an ANC led by his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa. Zuma's presidency, marred by corruption allegations which he denies, ended in 2018 when Ramaphosa took over.

MK is currently disputing some of the election results in KwaZulu-Natal, hoping a recount will secure them an outright majority and eliminate the need for a coalition government.

Zuma, the first leader from KwaZulu-Natal to become South Africa's president after the end of apartheid, has had a tumultuous political career. After being forced to resign as president, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for defying a court order to cooperate with a judge-led inquiry into corruption during his nine-year presidency. Despite his conviction barring him from taking a seat in either the national or provincial parliament, Zuma remains the leader of the MK Party.

In a bid to quell unrest among Zuma's supporters, who rioted following his imprisonment, President Ramaphosa released him after he served three months of his sentence. Zuma continues to assert that the corruption allegations against him are part of a political conspiracy.