Three Names. One Throne. The Battle for Msunduzi Mayor Has Begun

The race for Pietermaritzburg's top seat is heating up.

The Pulse has learned exclusively that Bathabile Dlamini, Themba Ndlovu and Vusi Dube are all being put forward within ANC structures for the Msunduzi mayoral position ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

The three names represent different interests within the ANC's Moses Mabhida Region. The internal process is expected to be fiercely contested as the party moves toward its June 2026 deadline for mayoral candidate announcements.

Msunduzi — which encompasses Pietermaritzburg, the capital of KwaZulu-Natal — has been plagued by service delivery failures and political instability. Whoever gets the nod inherits a city that has run out of patience.

The Pulse will continue to track this story as it develops.