The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has so far won 11 seats in the hotly-contested Nquthu by-election, according to the live Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of SA scoreboard.

Their main rival, the African National Congress (ANC), has only won three seats so far.

Currently 90% of wards have been counted in the Nquthu by-election, said KZN IEC spokesperson Thabani Ngwira on Thursday.

He told News24 that the official results would be released later today.

The KwaZulu-Natal government dissolved the council in February after it failed to elect its leaders, including the mayor and speaker, following the August 3 local government elections.

In that election the IFP won 15 seats, the ANC 14, the National Freedom Party two, and the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters one seat each.

It is the only municipality in the country without a mayor.

The by-election would include all 17 ward and 16 proportional representation (PR) council seats.

There were 81 085 registered voters in Nquthu’s 116 voting districts, the IEC said in a statement. Voting stations would be open from 07:00 to 19:00.

A total of 359 candidates (238 ward and 121 PR candidates) representing 14 political parties took part in the election.