KATHU

Victor Mulangisi

Former president Jacob Zuma’s political party, uMkhonto weSizwe, is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to ensure that the African National Congress (ANC) is not only bruised, but injured to a point of no return in this upcoming local government election.

On 05 April 2026 the party had a strategic meet-the-people gathering at Mapoteng, a suburb of Kathu.

The location was deemed ideal, because of the numerous dejected youths in the area and its proximity to the mining giant Kumba Iron Ore. The stage looks open enough for a fierce contestation and should the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and the ANC underestimate it, the belief that a new broom sweeps cleaner could dent their shaky dominance in the region.

The relatively new party has identified loopholes arising from the gradual decline in membership of the traditional parties in the region and is now striking like a hawk on the hunt. The national executive opted to do its groundwork in the Gamagara region in preparation of its plan to secure victory in all five districts of the province.

Their goal is to ensure that the five regions move like a well-oiled machine towards the elections. The party is restructuring regional and subregional structures. As a result, it aims to create a regional election structure geared towards this coming election. Ms Boipelo Jarvis as its provincial chairperson, who introduced the party in the region two years ago and led the former Police and Home Affairs Minister Mr Nathi Nhleko to become the national chairman of the party said that, like any other party, its existence must be built on a sound ideology in order to outshine competitors. Mr Nhleko has indeed proved to be wielding the cards effectively which can ensure sound electoral structures for the party in the five regions.