DURBAN, Thursday 5 November 2026 — The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has secured an outright majority in the Richmond Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, marking its first reported municipal council victory in South Africa’s 2026 local government elections.
The party received approximately 56% of the vote after counting was completed in the municipality, according to Eyewitness News.
The result gives the party sufficient electoral support to control the council without requiring a coalition agreement, subject to the final allocation and formal confirmation of council seats.
First municipality secured by MK Party
Richmond’s result represents an important development for the MK Party as it seeks to expand its representation in local government.
The party, which emerged as a major electoral force in KwaZulu-Natal during the 2024 national and provincial elections, has been contesting municipal councils across the province.
Its Richmond victory provides an early indication of its ability to convert provincial electoral support into control of local government institutions.
Attention turns to larger municipalities
MK Party provincial spokesperson Mkhuseli Mlengane also pointed to the party’s performance in eThekwini, where early figures indicated substantial support.
However, the eThekwini count remained incomplete, and the party had not secured a confirmed majority in the metropolitan council.
The outcome in Richmond does not determine the political composition of other KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, where counting and verification continue.
The next stage will involve confirmation of the council’s seat allocation and the formal election of municipal office-bearers.
