Political analyst Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu says parties’ choices of coalition partners in KwaZulu-Natal are likely to have an impact on their performance in the 2026 local government elections.
Political parties in the province have started negotiations, after the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party won locally but without an outright majority.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) remains the official opposition in the province.
Mngomezulu says the current political situation will add an interesting dimension to the local polls.
He says, “The coalition that will be reached now will have a direct impact on the 2026 local government election, simply because I am a voter, I vote for you, you take my vote and you give it to somebody else.”
“And that is not going to sit down well with the electorate and some parties will be punished in 2026, if for example you find that there is a party that you didn’t like at all and suddenly you see the party that you voted for is now going bed with that particular party. So, definitely whatever coalition agreements that they make now will have a direct impact on how those parties will perform.”
