Voting going smoothly in Nquthu
POLITICAL parties and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) have pinned their hopes on a high voter turnout for the Nquthu Municipality by-elections today to avert a repeat of the indecisive outcome of last year’s local government elections.
Major parties would use the poll to test their strength in rural areas, especially in the north, while the DA hoped to test its acceptance among local voters.
Parties had begun campaigning two months ago, with the ANC’s Jacob Zuma, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the DA’s Mmusi Maimane, EFF’s Julius Malema and NFP’s Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi all participating.
ANC KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Mdumiseni Ntuli said they were certain the ANC would emerge victors.
Ntuli said the provincial executive committee had determined that the ANC could conquer the IFP’s traditional support base of northern KZN.
IFP national chairperson Blessed Gwala said his party had put up an aggressive campaign as it was angered by the ANC which used its power in the province to dissolve the municipality.
He said the IFP would win the by-elections to stop the ANC from ruling the Umzinyathi District.
“Umzinyathi’s budget is huge, and the issue of water is big. If the ANC takes over Umzinyathi, it will be in charge of the district’s resources, and we must stop that,” he said.
He said the IFP would maintain its partnership with the DA and EFF even if it won the municipality overwhelmingly.
KZN DA leader Zwakele Mncwango said although his party had won only one seat last year, it hoped the people of Nquthu want change this time.
Political analyst Bheki Mngomezulu said the by-elections should break the balance of power between the IFP and ANC. “The other parties, DA and EFF, want to prove a point that they can unseat the ANC in a number of municipalities,” said Mngomezulu.
He said whoever won Nquthu had the potential of growing massively in the whole of the north.
IEC provincial commissioner Mawethu Mosery said the special votes targeting the elderly and disabled had started smoothly yesterday. However, there had been difficulties reaching homesteads where there were no access roads.
He said a higher voter turnout would help to avert another hung municipality in Nquthu.
The number of participating parties had increased from last year’s five to 14.
Mosery said voting had started smoothly this morning. There were no challenges when the 116 polling stations opened on time, he said.
Small queues of voters could be seen in some of the polling stations at about 7am, when the stations opened.
At Springlake High School voting station in Hlathi Dam village, ANC and IFP supporters erected their parties’ tents before the station opened. They were assisting voters to check their names on the voters roll.
Wearing an EFF T-shirt, Nokwazi Mvubu said she was voting because her town was uncared for.
“The streets are dirty. You can see this town is being neglected. It has been like this for years.
“I have voted for a person who I think will bring a difference here,” she said.
Mechanic Sizwe Sangweni said Nquthu needed water and job opportunities.
“This town needs to grow. It has always been behind others in terms of development, and water is now another serious matter we are facing,” he said.
Mosery said voting would close at 7pm, with the results of small voting stations released at about 10pm. The rest would be released early tomorrow.