ANC victory in KZN 'overwhelming'

2011-05-20 12:53

Durban - The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal was on the verge of an "overwhelming" victory as parties waited for the last batch of elections results on Friday.

“We have retained all the municipalities we controlled before the elections and there are indications that an overwhelming victory is on the cards,” provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala told reporters in Durban.

The ANC said it won 42 of the province's 61 municipalities. It however did not have outright majorities in a number of them, which meant it would have to form coalitions with other parties. The party had not started negotiations for coalitions.

“We have gained new municipalities which were previously held by the Inkatha Freedom Party.”

By 10:00 on Friday, results from the eThekwini municipality, incorporating Durban, and the Umsunduzi Municipality, which incorporates Pietermaritzburg, had not been audited.

Zikalala attributed the ANC victory to the end of the so-called no-go areas, IFP strongholds which had existed since the first democratic elections in 1994.

Zikalala said the ANC had done well in both rural and urban areas.

“We have taken two hostels and the Lindelani area from the IFP.”

ANC provincial chairperson Zweli Mkhize said the ruling party had yet to finalise who its mayors would be.

- SAPA