ANC chairperson Siboniso Duma on Monday slammed provincial coalition partners the DA and IFP. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday accused its provincial coalition partners, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), of a lack of unity and cooperation in the former and that the latter's Thulasizwe Buthelezi is “divisive”. is”.
ANC Chairman Siboniso Duma was speaking at the Radisson Blu Hotel Umhlanga. There, he and other provincial executive committee members gathered to “reflect” on the 100th day of unity government and the achievements of the ANC.
Mr Duma said the ANC would continue to take a strong stance against the DA's “tendencies” and any actions that threatened the ANC's goals.
He added that the ANC continually evaluated its working relationship with the DA, insisting that the cooperation was tactical rather than ideological.
“The DA will always remain a center-right party that could impede progress towards implementing the Freedom Charter,” he said, suggesting the alliance was about convenience rather than a common vision. did.
The MP said the ANC's concerns also extended to the IFP, focusing in particular on the conduct of Buthelezi, the MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
Duma said Buthelezi was targeting traditional leaders to remove them, a move the ANC sees as destroying the stability of the national unity government.
He said ANC officials had received complaints from traditional leaders about Buthelezi's actions and believed they were politically motivated.
“Our mission is to protect the supremacy of Izinduna,” Duma said.
Other allegations against Buthelezi concern termination of contracts of workers related to expanded public works programs, reportedly at Buthelezi's direction.
MPs said Buthelezi's actions were not consistent with the unity government's goals and risked alienating Labor and traditional leaders who have worked hard to maintain local support.
“Mr Buthelezi believes he is better than the GNU and his party, the IFP. He is a very divisive character by nature and his mission is to set us back. ” Duma said.
Despite the situation, Prime Minister Duma said the coalition government will continue to provide services to residents for the next five years.
“We want to assure the people of KwaZulu-Natal that the GNU is stable and will continue to exist,” he said.
However, the House also warned that future cooperation with the DA and IFP would be conditional and that it would refocus on furthering its mission.
“Working jointly with other political parties does not mean we give up our identity, values and program of action,” Duma said, adding that the ANC is “non-racial, non-sexist, He stressed that he would not compromise on the goal of building a “personal and democratic nation.” ” South Africa.
ANC deputy provincial chairman Nomagugu Simelane Zulu was also present at the press conference and said there was “no tension” within the national unity government.
“We have very good relations with the NFP (National Freedom Party) and the IFP leadership, with the exception of MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi. always exist because they are on different ends of the. [ideological] spectrum,” Simelane Zulu said, adding that they could still cooperate.
She said there was “maturity” in the state cabinet and parliament and an understanding that all parties must work together, but quickly added: They only have the interests of white monopoly capital [sic]And that's what we know about them. ”
She said that when the ANC met with the DA, it did so “with an understanding of who they are”.
She said the DA did not represent the interests of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. “We know they don't particularly care about the interests of black people in this state.”
She said there was “no tension” between the ANC and IFP leadership at provincial level, but there was a “rotten potato” in Buthelezi.
Since being appointed MEC, Mr Buthelezi has used his position to “settle things” by ensuring he “goes after” ANC-run municipalities in the province, she said.
Simelane Zulu said the ANC did not accept Buthelezi's actions and was discussing the issue with the IFP leadership.
