MK Party Says DA Will Not Work With Them and Will Look at Other Parties for Coalitions

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has said the Democratic Alliance (DA) has made it clear that it does not want to work with them after the local government elections. The party added that it will now consider talking to other political parties about possible coalition agreements.

This comes as counting of votes from the 2026 local government elections continues across the country. Many municipalities are expected to end up with hung councils, where no single party has enough seats to govern alone. In these places, parties will need to form coalitions to run the municipalities.

The MK Party is performing strongly in KwaZulu-Natal. Provisional results show the party leading the provincial vote with around 34 percent. The Inkatha Freedom Party and the African National Congress are following behind. In places like eThekwini, the MK Party is also in the lead, but the council is likely to be hung.

At a media briefing at the results centre in Durban, the party’s leaders confirmed that the DA has ruled out any partnership with them. The MK Party said it will therefore look at other parties that share its values and political programme. Party officials stressed that they want to enter government where possible, but they will not give up their principles just to secure positions.

To handle all the talks, the MK Party has appointed a national negotiating team. Former president Jacob Zuma has named the team, which includes senior figures such as Advocate Dali Mpofu, Tony Yengeni, Duduzane Zuma and former KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu. The team will speak to other parties, check if their plans match, and recommend any coalition deals. Final decisions will still rest with the party’s top leadership.

The DA has been consistent in its position. Its leaders have said they will not form coalitions with the MK Party or the Economic Freedom Fighters. They argue that such partnerships could create problems for service delivery and the proper management of municipal finances. The DA has said it will first look at its own mandate and then speak to parties that are closer to its values.

With dozens of hung councils across the country, including many in KwaZulu-Natal, the next few days and weeks will be important. Parties are now shifting their focus from campaigning to negotiations. The MK Party’s decision to look beyond the DA shows how different political views continue to shape who is willing to work together after the elections. Voters and residents will be watching to see which coalitions are formed and how they plan to deliver basic services in the municipalities.

Source: https://x.com/SABCNews/status/2119036364880584852?a=0ebgi8iuPHTxaawfTzA&s=19

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