The electoral defeat suffered by the ANC is set to cause financial “headaches” for many of the party’s Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) who have lost their high-paying jobs and perks.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal lost 30 of its MPLs and has gone from 44 members to just 14. The party has lost many high-paying Cabinet positions and could lose high-level positions such as the chairpersons of committees.
The May 29 elections were a bloodbath for the ANC. Former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party won 37 seats in the 80-member provincial legislature, while the IFP got 15 seats, the ANC 14, the DA 11, the EFF two, and the NFP one.
This means 30 ANC MPLs and MECs will no longer enjoy a R1 233 560 a year salary and other perks such as flights, bodyguards, blue-lights vehicles, hotel stays, petrol, unlimited data and airtime.
The MECs are expected to lose their R2 215 220 a year salaries. MECs such as Bongiwe Nomusa Sithole-Moloi, who has served as KZN’s MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, does not appear even on the ANC MPLs list in the legislature. Human Settlements MEC Sipho Nkosi is another notable casualty, while Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube will also not be returning to the legislature.
Former MPL Maggie Govender, who will also get the chop, acknowledged her life will change without the salary, but added “it has never been about personal gain”.
“Losing a source of income is never an easy thing, but I believe my colleagues will continue the good work. I am still going to continue to serve the people. We need to create jobs and grow our province.
“People are concerned and want a new government to emerge and KZN wants a working government. It was a disappointment on our end as the ANC, and we should go back to the drawing board. But we should put people first.
We need an environment where we work together,” she said.
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said this is a huge blow for the party, the one they have to get used to because some of the MPLs and MECs will be unemployed for some time.
“This should not be a problem if our people invested their money. I mean, these people get paid millions annually and they should have a plan after their term has ended. Being unemployed is a huge setback, no matter how much you were earning, because now your lifestyle has to change. All I am saying is that they should get used to this because I do not see the ANC regaining the majority any time soon. People were fed up and frustrated and they voted them out.
“In the 2026 local government elections we could see the same; many mayors and councillors will be without jobs. The problem our people make is thinking they can make a career out of politics. All those who lost their jobs at the ANC should either look for jobs or further their studies,” Ndlovu said.
Professor Purshottama S Reddy, a public governance expert at UKZN’s Graduate School of Business and Leadership, said ANC politicians should have not made a career out of politics, especially young ones.
“What they should do is go back to the drawing board and reflect on what they did wrong. Of course their lifestyle will change, but they must keep their heads up and improve the party’s performance in the next elections,” he said.
The Mercury