Duduzane Zuma is leading the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party's coalition negotiations as South Africa's parties race to form governments in hung councils after the 2026 local elections.

Zuma, the party's first deputy president, is part of a seven-member National Negotiations Team appointed by party president Jacob Zuma to lead talks across the country's municipalities. The team was announced by advocate Dali Mpofu at the Electoral Commission's KwaZulu-Natal results centre on Saturday, 7 November.

Speaking to the Daily Maverick, Zuma said the party would not be pushed into a deal on other parties' terms. “We are not going to be held to ransom by anybody over a position,” he said, adding that the MK Party would not join coalitions “simply for the sake of it”.

Largest party, no majority

The Electoral Commission declared the results of the 4 November local government elections on Sunday, 8 November. It confirmed that 72 councils had a party with an outright majority, while 127 had no party with more than half the seats.

In eThekwini, the municipality that includes Durban, the MK Party emerged as the biggest party with 86 of the 223 council seats, but fell short of an outright majority. Across KwaZulu-Natal, 34 municipalities were left hung. The party also emerged as the largest party in Msunduzi, the Pietermaritzburg municipality, with 31 of the 81 seats.

That leaves the MK Party needing partners to govern in the metros it leads, while rival parties weigh whether to combine against it. In Msunduzi, the ANC, DA and IFP together hold 41 seats, exactly the number needed for a majority, which could keep the MK Party out of power despite it being the largest party.

Who is at the table

Alongside Zuma, the MK Party's negotiating team includes advocate Dali Mpofu, second deputy president Tony Yengeni, KwaZulu-Natal provincial convenor Willies Mchunu, acting secretary-general Lindi Mtshali-Makhubu, national chairperson Mxolisi Phakathi and former treasurer-general Dr Thanti Mthanti.

The party has said it is prepared to engage the ANC, IFP, ActionSA, EFF, African Transformation Movement and SACP. Mpofu has ruled out working with the DA, which has also said it is not prepared to enter an arrangement with the MK Party. Reports suggest the MK Party is considering a coalition with the ANC in eThekwini, where an earlier ANC, IFP and EFF arrangement kept it out of power after the 2021 elections.

A rapid rise under scrutiny

Zuma, 44, is the son of former president Jacob Zuma. He spent much of his life around politics but only became directly involved about two years ago, forming his own party, All Game Changers, in 2024. In February this year his father appointed him to the MK Party's 11-member Presidential Task Team, and in August he was named the party's first deputy president, replacing former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe.

His rapid rise has drawn questions about experience and nepotism, which he has dismissed. He told the Daily Maverick that the party's frequent leadership changes were teething problems, and said the party could be trusted with municipal finances. In a briefing in eThekwini on Saturday, he said the party was ready to govern the metro, which has a budget of more than R70 billion, and that internal cases of misused party funds had been dealt with.

Fourteen days to decide

Parties now have a short window to strike deals before councils must meet to elect mayors and speakers. The MK Party has said its presidency retains the final say on approving or rejecting any proposed agreement. Whether it can turn its position as the largest party in eThekwini into control of the city will depend on the negotiations Zuma is now leading.