DA warns against ‘marriage of convenience’ moves

DA warns against ‘marriage of convenience’ moves

Durban — DA leader John Steenhuisen has shared his concerns about forming coalitions with political parties that did not share the same values, during his election campaign in Durban on Wednesday.

Steenhuisen was reacting to problems in the Umvoti Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal where an alleged coalition – between the ANC and the IFP – collapsed within 24 hours.

Both parties allegedly worked together to oust political party Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) from power.

At a special council meeting, on Tuesday, ABC mayor Philani Mavundla and speaker Mfundo Masondo were removed by a vote of no confidence.

In the process, ANC regional chairperson Ntombi Ngubane was elected as the new speaker while the mayorship went to IFP councillor Zamani Malembe.

The ABC produced a court order interdicting the meeting to continue.

However, yesterday morning IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa announced the reversal of the agreement because it did not have the blessing of national leadership. Hlabisa said the IFP would not work with a political party that has destroyed the country.

Steenhuisen said coalitions must be negotiated and must be between parties that have the same values and principles. Parties that wanted to get into coalitions in the future must take a leaf out of DA-led coalitions countrywide where there have never been problems, he said. Steenhuisen was referring to the DA governance of uMngeni Local Municipality while co-governing Umhlathuze Local Municipality with the IFP.

Steenhuisen said polls indicate that the province would be governed by a coalition.

Reacting to Hlabisa’s statement, ANC provincial secretary in KwaZulu-Natal Bheki Mtolo, without mentioning a name, said a top IFP leader at a national level “is fully controlled by the DA and US intelligence Services”.

IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said: “As previously indicated, as a general rule asiwuphenduli umsangano (We do not respond to nonsense).

In its reaction, ABC secretary-general Phumelele Phahla said Hlabisa’s statement meant there was no formal agreement and a “circus” had been arranged by individuals who decided to do their own thing.

Phahla said the ABC was never removed from power since there was an order to interdict the meeting. “We always knew that ABC was still in charge of the municipality, so the people of Umvoti were not even bothered.”

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