Africa-Press – South-Africa. The DA made light work of the MK Party’s challenge to secure a commanding win in eThekwini’s ward 64 by-election by more than 2,000 votes on Wednesday.
The DA received 63% of the votes to retain the south Durban ward — which incorporates parts of Montclair, Clairwood and Yellowwood Park — ahead of its nearest challenger, the MK Party (MKP), which garnered 22%.
The ward was expected to be competitive between the two parties, with the MKP having narrowly edged ahead of the DA in the national ballot last year while the latter prevailed in the provincial ballot.
However, the DA won all eight voting districts on Wednesday — including the three in Montclair the MKP had won in 2024 — to see its candidate Norman Gilbert emerge ahead of Stanley Dlamini as the new ward councillor.
DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers said the outcome was a rejection of parties like the MKP which he said were “politically divisive”.
“This is not only a victory for our party but also a rejection of the MK Party — a party that seeks to divide communities. Today this was rejected by voters in Ward 64,” he said.
“The voters of ward 64 have spoken. They have said no to the small parties who only want to divide our communities.”
He added that their victory also highlighted growing support for the party amid voters’ frustrations about service delivery challenges in the city.
“The DA continues to build support and confidence from communities that are tired of ANC empty promises, a dysfunctional city and no service delivery.”
Rodgers, along with provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson, joined the party’s final push to defend the ward on Wednesday.
The MKP had also deployed its big guns from its provincial leadership including award-winning actor-turned-politician Sibonile Ngubane.
The seat became vacant when DA councillor Gavin Hegter resigned at the end of June, while facing a court case for allegedly assaulting a ward resident.
Macpherson said at the time Hegter had stepped down to focus on his recovery and to spend time with his family after experiencing health issues.
Hegter is alleged to have hit a Mncedisi Dlamini in the mouth with a torch after an argument in Yellowwood Park in November 2024.
A state witness who is the alleged victim’s brother, Lindiwe Dlamini, said in his testimony last week Hegter had allegedly become upset when he saw Mncedisi wearing an MKP T-shirt.
Hegter denied this, saying he was politically tolerant of other parties. He has also denied assaulting the victim but his attempt to have the case thrown out was dismissed in August. He is due to appear in the Durban high court at the beginning of October for cross-examination.
Meanwhile, Rodgers revealed the DA will announce its mayoral candidate for eThekwini next week as the party gears up for the 2026 local government elections.
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