Three political parties – the DA, ANC and ActionSA – are gearing up for Wednesday’s by-election in the eThekwini Municipality’s hotly contested uMhlanga ward 35.
Ward 35 includes the suburbs of La Lucia, Virginia and Somerset Park.
The ward, which includes uMhlanga and surrounding areas, has been overseen by a DA candidate for many years.
It was left vacant after the party’s councillor, Nicole Bollman, was deployed to Parliament after the May 29 national and general elections.
Municipal by-elections will also take place in Umbilo’s ward 33 with the MK Party, ANC and the DA contesting, while ward 36 in Durban North will see the ANC and the DA contest for votes.
ActionSA’s ward 35 candidate Saul Basckin said he has been criss-crossing the area to woo voters. Basckin believes they will snatch ward 35 from the DA.
“We are looking forward to winning the ward and we are very confident that we will emerge victorious and provide proper service delivery to the residents of ward 35.
“As someone who grew up and stays in this ward, I think people resonate with me because I have assisted many people when I was not even an ActionSA member, that is why I think I have an advantage over others,” he said.
The DA’s candidate, Bradley Singh, said ward 35 had always been the DA’s territory, adding that they would win the ward by a landslide.
“I am very confident that we will retain ward 35 and we are going to win it by a landslide; 80% of people in ward 35 believe in the leadership of the DA.
“This is our territory, we will win convincingly. We are not really worried about what other parties are doing or saying, we are only focusing on the DA.
We have done everything to make sure that we defend our ward, so victory is certain,” said Singh. After three months without a councillor in ward 33, the MKP will be hoping to continue its impressive electoral performance of the May 29 elections when its candidate, Mvikelwa Mkhize, faces off against Francine Kristopher (DA) and Sthembiso Madlala (ANC).
After the national elections, former Councillor Sakhile Mngadi (DA) was redeployed to the KZN Provincial Legislature, leaving a vacancy in the councillor seat. Mngadi was elected after a sweeping victory in 2021.
Ward 33, among other challenges, has been plagued by vandalism of infrastructure, illegal occupation of buildings and sports facilities and crime. These are the challenges that the residents hope their new ward councillor will take on.
Other by-elections that are taking place on Wednesday are in the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, where the ANC is expected to retain wards 4 and 14. Voting stations for all by-elections are open from 7am and close at 9pm.
The Mercury