Voting gets underway in Nquthu by-election
Voting kicks off today in the hotly-contested by-election in Nquthu.
The municipality, which falls under the uMzinyathi District Municipality, has been home to the ANC, IFP, NFP, EFF and DA in the past few days as they executed their election campaigns.
Nquthu has been the only municipality in the country that's seen its council unable to sit since last year's local government elections with squabbles leading to it being dissolved.
Political parties have been campaigning - hoping to gain majority votes in the district.
While addressing locals on Monday, the EFF's Julius Malema, said they should use the by-election to show the middle finger to the ANC who he says gave President Jacob Zuma a R1 million swimming pool while the taps of the people of Nquthu run dry.
The ANC has sent out most of the party’s national heavy-weights to Nquthu. On Sunday at a rally, Zuma went the ancestral route – telling Nquthu locals to vote ANC so that they can remain loved and protected by the ancestors and the angels.
IFP leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi also addressed a rally on Sunday at Mkhonjane - reminding residents that the power was in their hands.
During his visit to Nquthu last week, DA leader Mmusi Maimane bemoaned politics getting in the way of the delivery of services to people.
But he wasn’t left unscathed as traditional leaders he went to pay his respects to grilled him on various issues. In total, 325 councillors are being fielded by various political parties to contest the 17 wards and 33 council seats.