FIERCE ELECTORAL BATTLE AHEAD

INDICATIONS are that the country is in for a fierce battle in the coming elections with interesting new players joining the fray.

The registration of over 300 political parties, despite making the ballot paper rather long, certainly adds spice to the pot.

Former president Jacob Zuma and his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party have been making a lot of noise.

Then you have the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) of former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, and the South African Rainbow Alliance, led by erstwhile Joburg council speaker Colleen Makhubele.

In 2025, the then charismatic DA leader Mmusi Maimane made waves when he declared in Parliament that “Zuma was a broken man, presiding over a broken society”. Maimane, the first black DA leader, will be hoping to return to the House with his new party, Build One South Africa.

Don't rule out Herman Mashaba; the founder and leader of ActionSA has made inroads at local government level.

Just last week, ActionSA's Dr Nasiphi Moya became the firstever deputy mayor of the City of Tshwane. So it goes without saying that Mashaba, a former mayor of Joburg while with the DA, means business.

These parties, plus several others, all have eyes on the ANC throne currently occupied by President Cyril Ramaphosa. It's still to be seen whether splinter parties formed by disgruntled ANC leaders, will make major inroads into the ruling party's electoral base, and if so whether it will be sufficient to force the ANC to retain power through a coalition.

But the big three – the ANC, DA and EFF – are not about to roll over and die. The ANC, EFF and the IFP are set to launch their manifestos at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The EFF will hold its launch on February 10, followed by the ANC on February 24, and the IFP on March 10. With the Zuma factor in play, it's clear that KwaZulu-Natal is likely to be most hotly contested province in the upcoming polls.