Ndhlela said that he was basing this on their projections of becoming the official opposition in South Africa - despite independent projections putting the party’s national vote at around 12%.

“We will make a determination who becomes president, and whoever becomes president, he'll be told that you're going to give President Zuma a political pardon, presidential pardon, and when he gives a presidential pardon, we'll bring President Zuma back as president, so simple and we will do that even before we change the Constitution.

Despite projections that no party will win KwaZulu-Natal with an outright majority, Ndhlela said they were expecting to win the province by at least 60%.

With around 40% of the vote outstanding at 6pm on Friday, the MK party had captured 44.96% of the vote, the ANC, 18.93% and the IFP, 16.45%.

Ndhlela said brushed off speculation that if the MK party did not get over 50% of the vote, the ANC could form a coalition with the DA and IFP to run the province, saying that was hypothetical. He said MK would get 60% of the vote.

IOL Politics