'We will never partner with MK: DA's line in the sand for eThekwini Metro

The DA's assessment is that the mayor's parlour in the Durban City Hall will be occupied by the MK or DA, come the end of the November local government elections.

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has emerged as the frontrunner to secure a majority in eThekwini in November’s local government elections, according to the latest Ipsos poll — sending jitters through political parties across KwaZulu-Natal.

“It would be foolish to say we are not concerned. Of course, MK is a serious worry for us as a party, and the local elections are effectively a two-horse race between MK and the DA, with the eThekwini mayor coming from either party,” DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen told IOL in an exclusive interview.

With less than two months remaining before the decisive elections, the latest Ipsos poll places MK on course to win eThekwini with an outright majority of 55%.

While Hoosen questioned the poll’s sampling data and suggested its findings may have been skewed, he acknowledged that the possibility of an MK victory — and the party taking power in the metro — could not be ruled out.

With political horse-trading expected to form part of coalition negotiations, where these become necessary, Hoosen reiterated his party’s position: the DA would not enter into a coalition with MK, regardless of the outcome. “It may come down to coalition talks — that is a reality of these elections — but we will never partner with MK. That would be an absolute betrayal of our supporters,” Hoosen said.

With MK remaining a red line for the DA, several senior political party insiders within the current Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) said they would continue working together to keep MK out of power — or prevent it from crossing the 50% threshold. “Our goal is to keep the GPU working beyond this election, without MK,” an IFP insider said. Another GPU partner, the ANC, has dismissed the Ipsos poll, insisting that it will retain its powerful role in eThekwini — even though the poll places the party’s support in the metro at just 10%.

The stakes are high. Local government elections are often seen as a precursor to national political shifts — and eThekwini is the grand prize. As KwaZulu-Natal’s only metropolitan municipality, with a budget of approximately R70 billion, eThekwini wields substantial political and economic power. Control of the metro would give a party considerable leverage and momentum heading into the 2029 national elections.

However, while the current coalition partners may once again be prepared to work together to keep MK out of power, the MK Party remains unfazed. Despite internal squabbles and leadership battles, its popularity appears steady. Recently appointed MK Party deputy president Duduzane Zuma told IOL that he was not concerned about rival parties. “We just continue our work on the ground. We remain confident about our outcomes, and we are working hard so that we can fulfil our electoral promises,” he said.

Zuma's comments were echoed by the party’s provincial organiser, Gobi Makhanya. Asked about potential coalitions, Makhanya said: “We are willing to speak to any political party except the DA.”

With the political battle intensifying, ActionSA warned that it should not be ruled out as a potential kingmaker. “People should not forget that the GNU was formed not because of common principles, but purely to keep MK out. That was a big mistake, and they are doing it again,” ActionSA provincial leader and eThekwini mayoral candidate Zwakele Mncwango told IOL.

“We are willing to speak to any party — including the DA — if our key non-negotiable conditions are accepted. But we do not trust the DA.

“Remember, we had the Moonshot Pact before the last election, and we all agreed to keep the ANC out. But immediately after the elections, the DA went and formed a government with the ANC. They can therefore never be trusted. Their survival depends on their coalition with the ANC,” Mncwango said.