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<\/p>\nRabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za<\/p>\n
20 October 2026<\/p>\n
2-minute read<\/p>\n
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Northern KwaZulu Natal is facing a crowded political field for the upcoming local government elections in November.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s almost a party award now,\u201d says journalist Calvin Swemmer of the 33 parties contesting in 36 wards in Newcastle. Previous administration that has governed the town include the ANC some years back that was later fragmented out into a coalition with other parties like the DA, ActionSA, and the IFP.<\/p>\n
Swemmer calls the number of newcomers on the political field \u201cinnate.\u201d Many civic organisations and forums have decided to go against the grain and \u201cshift from their civic duties,\u201d claiming that they will be able to do better than the current leadership. Statistically, in 2021, there were about 95 thousand candidates countrywide, and now that number has jumped to over 135 thousand candidates.<\/p>\n
In the context of choice, this adds to choice but it also adds to confusion. \u201c33 parties does not mean 33 good choices,\u201d Calvin points out. Many of the local candidates do not have a clear \u2013 or in some case any – manifesto, are unemployed, and are far from qualified to run a municipality, having \u201cnever worked a day in their life.\u201d He highlights that candidates who are stepping into the political field minus a manifesto are setting a bad precedent and will not be able to canvas votes.<\/p>\n
So, what should voters in Newcastle do before the elections? Calvin suggests going onto the IEC website and looking at candidates to get clarity before voting. If the party you are considering voting for cannot be located on the website, he advises contacting the party directly to find out their mission statement, and to get some background on the candidate and what he or she stands for. \u201cConsidering the implications of your decision, it\u2019s work that needs to be done,\u201d he concludes.<\/p>\n