IFP in KZN sets tone for 2026 local government elections


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The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal says it is already setting the tone for the 2026 local government elections.

The party embarked on a door-to-door campaign ahead of a by-election set to take place at Mandeni Municipality’s ward 18 on the north coast of the province next week.

The ward was left vacant after the African National Congress (ANC) Councillor Thabani Mabhid,a who was gunned down early this year.

The area which has been the ANC’s stronghold before the emergence of Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is said to be highly contested.

The IFP’s national deputy chairperson, Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa, says they have been moving around the ward, however, what they have heard is that people are concerned about poor service delivery and unemployment.

“As the MEC for Agriculture, I have also promised the community that I will be coming back. Today, I am just an IFP volunteer moving around doing door to door and hearing what people are saying. We are happy and confident that we will make it,” says Madlopha-Mthethwa.

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