ANC alliance partners denounce 'isolation' in KZN

ANC alliance partners say they have been "completely isolated, sidelined and undermined" by the ANC leadership in KwaZulu-Natal and are now calling for intervention from national structures. 

On Thursday the SACP, Cosatu and Sanco held a media briefing in Durban where they expressed grave concern over what they termed ''a complete breakdown of their working relationship with the ANC”. 

The provincial secretaries of the three organisations- Cosatu’s Edwin Mkhize, the SACP’s Themba Mthembu and Sanco’s Sizwe Cele — said they had learnt of political developments in the province through the media.

Recently the alliance said it had learnt via the media of the removal of eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and the coalition talks with the IFP and the DA. 

The alliance partners said they had heard from IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa of the agreements on a coalition in the province when he held a media briefing. They added that before the elections they had also had difficulty receiving information from the ANC on decisions regarding the governance of state-owned enterprises. 

Moreover, secretariat meetings meant to take place with the ANC had all but ceased to exist. 

The alliance partners, who said they were not invited to the table for coalition negotiations, also expressed concerns over a possible IFP, ANC, DA and NFP coalition government for the province. 

“In KwaZulu-Natal it is the MK Party that has acquired 45% of the vote, ours is a principled stance that they should govern but not with the ANC. We are very sceptical of the MK Party because we haven't been taken through their constitution, their policies. So who would we say we are forming an alliance with,” Mthembu said. 

The alliance partner's input may be too late however with the IFP having announced the three parties had sealed a deal. On Friday members of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature will elect a premier, speaker and deputy speaker. 

Among a number of reasons for a massive decline in support, the alliance identified:

• Serious socioeconomic crises inflicted by international and domestic dynamics like the high cost of living, unemployment, inequality and poverty;
• A service delivery crisis that tended to become chronic, like water, electricity, waste removal, infrastructure maintenance;
• Reported high rate of crime incidents and corruption;
• Serious lapses in the leadership of society, and distance between political leadership and the people;
• Heavy and highly financed attack on majority rule and the pursuit of the National Democratic Revolution by some sections of capital. 

“The results of the 2024 elections are a symptom of a very deteriorating situation in KwaZulu-Natal. We are of a strong view that an urgent meeting of all the Mass Democratic Movement together with the officials of the alliance must be convened,” said Mthembu.

TimesLIVE