The African National Congress  (ANC) has welcomed the reinstatement of Siphile Mdaka as mayor of the uMkhanyakude District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, after weeks of coalition tensions.

Mdaka’s return follows a new arrangement negotiated between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). This reversed his earlier ousting through a vote of no confidence.

The ANC had retaliated by ending its working relations with the IFP in Umvoti Local Municipality.

KZN ANC Coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu says, “We want to ensure that all of us are focusing on delivering basic services to the people of uMkhanyakude. That area, one of its biggest challenges, is water provision. And it was heartwarming yesterday when we were in a joint caucus meeting between the ANC and the IFP before the formal sitting of the council in uMkhanyakude.”

Mabuyakhulu adds, “We are now in the discussions to finalise the framework of the hung municipalities, where in 2021 no political party had an outright majority. We have not concluded those discussions as yet, and those are the areas where the ANC and the IFP, in particular, would be going into further discussions.”

[WATCH]: ANC KwaZulu-Natal congratulates Cde Siphile Mdaka on his election as Mayor of Umkhanyakude District Municipality.

The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal warmly congratulates Cde Siphile Mdaka on his election as the Executive Mayor of Umkhanyakude District… pic.twitter.com/ysUsrlHHHy

— ANCKZN (@ANCKZN) November 27, 2025

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