The ANC and the DA have requested separate meetings with the National Freedom Party (NFP) as the two parties race against time to save the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity (GPU) coalition.
Sunday Times has seen two letters from the leadership of the ANC and the DA in KZN, both directed to NFP acting secretary-general Bheki Xaba, requesting meetings after the party’s decision to pull out of the coalition.
The NFP’s decision to pull out of the KZN coalition could spell disaster for the provincial government led by premier Thami Ntuli, who survived a motion of no-confidence after Mbali Shinga, an NFP MEC in Ntuli’s executive, defied her party.
The IFP is scheduled to hold a media briefing on Wednesday on the future of the KZN GPU following its national executive committee meeting.
In the letter to Xaba, the ANC coordinator for the KZN provincial task team, Mike Mabuyakhulu, said a previous request for a meeting with him in September did not materialise and that it is time they ironed out their differences.
“This letter, in part, serves as a follow-up to the meeting request we submitted to the NFP last September, which unfortunately could not proceed. At the meeting we are requesting we seek to discuss the recent decision made by the NFP to withdraw from the government of provincial unity, as reported in the media, and its wider implications beyond the GPU,” wrote Mabuyakhulu in a letter dated January 8.
“Additionally, we are open to addressing any other matters that you believe deserve our attention.”
Mabuyakhulu proposed that the meeting between the two parties take place in Durban on Tuesday, but a source in the political task team said it had now been scheduled for Saturday.
Chairperson of the DA in the province Dean Macpherson made a similar plea to Xaba in a letter dated January 13, requesting an urgent meeting.
We appreciate as a member of the government of provincial unity that we all have an important role to play in providing leadership and stability in times such as these.
— Dean Macpherson, chairperson of the DA in KZN
He said in the letter that addressing the issues surrounding the future of the provincial government was top of mind for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
“We appreciate as a member of the government of provincial unity that we all have an important role to play in providing leadership and stability in times such as these,” said Macpherson.
He said that the DA has experience in coalition politics at all levels of government and therefore understands the importance of listening to all its partners when there appeared to be problems.
“We still regard the NFP as partners for progress in KwaZulu-Natal and have always had cordial relations with your party during our engagements and in government,” said Macpherson.
“As the DA in KwaZulu-Natal, we would welcome an opportunity to meet your leadership to better understand some of the issues that have been raised publicly by your president and seek solutions to them as a partner in the province. We are willing to do so at your convenience and trust you will receive this request favourably.”
The ANC source said they wanted to understand the NFP’s official stance as they have been singing different tunes about their continued participation in the GPU.
“[There’s] no clarity yet on their withdrawal. They have issued three different and contradictory documents,” said the insider.
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