Malema Claims MK Party Would Have Won eThekwini Outright if March and March Turned Support into Vote

EFF leader Julius Malema has made a striking claim about the 2026 local government election results in eThekwini. He says the MK Party would have secured an outright victory in the municipality if the anti-immigration movement March and March had translated its support into votes.

Speaking after the polls, Malema pointed to the strong showing of March and March during protests in the area earlier this year. He argued that the group had clear numbers on the ground, yet those supporters did not show up at the voting stations in the same way. According to him, this cost the MK Party a majority in the metro.

eThekwini is one of the biggest and most important municipalities in the country. Provisional results show the MK Party leading the race with close to 40 percent of the vote. The Democratic Alliance sits in second place, with the ANC further back. No party has reached the 50 percent mark needed for outright control. This means the next council is likely to be run through coalitions.

March and March is known for its marches against illegal immigration and undocumented foreigners. The group has organised several demonstrations in Durban and surrounding areas, drawing large crowds. Its leaders have repeatedly called for stricter border control and the removal of people living in the country without papers. The movement has clashed with parties that take a different view on migration.

Malema has previously described March and March as a tribalist and vigilante group. He has said the EFF does not share their approach. At the same time, he now links the group’s support base to the MK Party’s performance. His comments suggest that anti-immigration sentiment played a role in how people voted, or chose not to vote, in eThekwini.

The MK Party performed strongly across KwaZulu-Natal in these local elections. However, it fell short of governing alone in the province’s biggest metro. Malema’s remarks add a new angle to the results, focusing on voter turnout and the failure of protest support to convert into ballots.

Political parties are now preparing for coalition talks. With no outright winner in eThekwini, deals will need to be made before a mayor and executive can be elected. Malema’s statement is likely to be discussed as parties assess where votes were lost and gained.

The claim highlights the complicated politics around immigration in South Africa. While some voters support harder action against illegal immigration, others reject the methods used by groups like March and March. How this played out at the ballot box in eThekwini remains a key talking point after the 2026 local government elections.

Source: https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2119098994521423957?a=Nsj0i7sYYIDq-eWzudQ&s=19