Thabiso Goba25 April 2024 | 12:35

MK Party fails to get more than 1% in by-election debut in EC, Limpopo

The political newcomers fielded candidates in the Walter Sisulu and Polokwane municipalities, respectively.

MK Party fails to get more than 1% in by-election debut in EC, Limpopo

Picture: X/MkhontoweSizwex

JOHANNESBURG – The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has failed to get more than 1% in its by-election debut in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

The political newcomers fielded candidates in the Walter Sisulu and Polokwane municipalities.

There were 11 by-elections across six provinces on Wednesday.

READ: Patriotic Alliance emerges as big winner in WC by-elections

Critics of the MK Party have labelled it as a regional party with minimal support outside of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

In the two wards it contested on Wednesday, its candidates received a combined 49 votes - 26 in Walter Sisulu and 23 in Polokwane.

Elections analyst Wayne Sussman said the African National Congress (ANC) has excelled in Limpopo and Eastern Cape under Cyril Ramaphosa.

“We also knew that MK Party had done well in previous KZN by-elections and also in Mpumalanga by-elections, well that string of good results ended dramatically yesterday [Wednesday].”

Another ANC-breakaway party, Ace Magashule’s African Congress for Transformation also made its by-election debut in the Eastern Cape, managing only 34 votes.