eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba told News24 in an exclusive interview this week that he believes the ANC can reclaim control of the metro from Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party — a contest that threads through the aftermath of an electoral wave that elevated MK to prominence in KwaZulu‑Natal two years ago.
Context and stakes
The interview, published by News24, came as political attention tightens on eThekwini, the province’s largest municipality and a bellwether for voter sentiment in KwaZulu‑Natal. The rise of the MK Party two years ago followed a period of visible public anger that reshaped local political calculations; Xaba’s assessment arrives amid debate about whether that anger was a temporary protest or a more durable realignment.
In the exchange with News24, Xaba discussed his tenure as mayor of the metro. He argued the ANC remains capable of mounting a recovery in eThekwini, although full details of the plans and arguments were set out in the interview itself.
What to watch ahead of the next local contest
Observers say eThekwini will be fought on traditional municipal battlegrounds — service delivery, rates and taxes, infrastructure upkeep and governance — as well as on the longer shadow of national politics and personalities. The MK surge demonstrated how powerful protest voting can be where residents feel their basic needs are not being met.
- Service delivery: Repairs to water and sanitation, refuse collection, and electricity distribution remain central to voter decisions at municipal level.
- Local leadership and accountability: Parties will be judged on their ability to stabilise governance and manage municipal finances.
- Voter turnout and protest votes: The durability of the MK surge depends on whether the anger that fuelled it persists or dissipates.
City residents and stakeholders will be monitoring whether the ANC’s service‑delivery narrative and local campaigning can reverse gains made by MK in the last election cycle. Xaba’s insistence that the ANC can win back the metro places emphasis on the party’s provincial machinery and its capacity to respond to local grievances.
Political ripple effects in KwaZulu‑Natal
The contest in eThekwini has implications beyond the metro’s borders. KwaZulu‑Natal has long been a competitive province with strong local identities and influential traditional and civic structures. A swing back to the ANC in the province’s largest urban centre would reshape coalition dynamics and party strategies heading into future provincial and national cycles.
Conversely, a sustained MK presence in eThekwini would signal that new political players can translate protest into durable municipal support — a lesson other parties are likely to watch closely.
How residents can follow developments
Residents who want to track progress in the metro can consult official council communications, follow local ward meetings and monitor reporting from established media outlets. The outcome will depend on voter mobilisation and on which party convinces residents it can improve daily services.
| What to monitor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Rates and billing reforms | Perceptions of fairness affect trust in local government |
| Refuse and sanitation service levels | Visible and frequent complaints directly influence votes |
| Coalition negotiations | Coalitions determine who actually governs the metro |
In his exchange with News24, Xaba set out his view of the electoral prospects. The interview did not publish exhaustive policy detail in every area, but it reaffirmed the contest’s central themes: whether the ANC can rebuild trust and whether the MK surge was a temporary expression of frustration or the start of a lasting reconfiguration of KwaZulu‑Natal politics.
As campaigning intensifies, voters in Durban and across eThekwini will be weighing competing claims. The outcome will reflect not only party organisation but also how residents assess the delivery of essential services in their neighbourhoods.
This report is based on an exclusive News24 interview with Cyril Xaba on his tenure as mayor of the eThekwini metro.
