Umzumbe Local Municipality is hung following by-elections
Picture: Abigail Javier/Eyewitness News
DURBAN - The Umzumbe Local Municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) south coast is now a hung municipality following by-elections that saw the African National Congress (ANC) losing power.
On Wednesday, six by-elections were held in areas under the municipality but the ANC only retained two seats.
The by-election results show the ANC failed to retain most of its seats in the Umzumbe Local Municipality.
This comes as the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) snatched three seats from the ANC while the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party took only one seat.
ALSO READ: MK Party clinches first ward in KZN by-elections
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)'s KZN electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga confirmed the municipality is now hung.
“In Umzumbe Local Municipality, the municipality is now hung with the ANC at 17 seats and the IFP at 17 with one seat to the MK Party.”
And while the ANC is now working with the IFP at a provincial level - it remains unclear if this has any impact at the local government level.