The Inkatha Freedom Party has reclaimed total control of Nongoma Local Municipality without needing any coalition partners by winning by-elections convincingly on Wednesday in the rural town.
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The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has tightened its grip on KwaZulu-Natal politics, securing three out of five contested wards in the by-elections held in its former stronghold of Nongoma on Wednesday.
The results mark a major strategic win for the party, most notably in the Nongoma Local Municipality, where the IFP has successfully restored its outright majority.
In a direct blow to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature's kingmaker, the National Freedom Party (NFP), the IFP reclaimed Ward 7 and Ward 20 in Nongoma. The wards became vacant following the resignations of NFP councillors, but voters chose to return the mandate to the IFP with 1,280 and 981 votes respectively.
End of Coalition Rule in Nongoma
The victory fundamentally changes the governance structure of the municipality. The IFP now holds 23 of the 45 seats in Nongoma, allowing it to govern alone. Previously, the party relied on a coalition arrangement with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the National African People’s Front (NAPF) to maintain control.
Further boosting the party’s momentum, the IFP secured a landslide victory in Ward 12 of Abaqulusi Local Municipality, racking up 1,628 votes.
Growth Beyond Traditional Strongholds
While the party did not win its contested seats in the Eastern Cape (Buffalo City and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality), leadership noted a marked increase in support compared to the 2021 elections. This upward trend in "non-traditional" areas suggests the IFP’s national appeal is expanding ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE).
"South Africans are increasingly placing their trust in the IFP as a credible alternative for stable, accountable governance," said Mkhuleko Hlengwa, the IFP's national spokesperson, noting that they now govern 19 municipalities with outright majorities nationwide.
Since 2021, the IFP has notched 47 by-election wins, signaling a formidable challenge to its rivals and exerting a strong comeback as the country prepares for the 2026 LGE polls.
The ongoing internal dispute in the NFP has caused regression of the party's support in the region which escalated to disciplinary action against its provincial chairperson, Mbali Shinga, the sole member of the KZN legislature and MEC of Social Development.
At the centre of her charges is her alleged insubordination of the party directive to vote with MK Party and EFF on the motion of no-confidence against KZN Premier Thami Ntuli, who survived the vote.