BREAKING: IFP’s Thami Ntuli elected KwaZulu-Natal premier
Despite the uMkhonto weSizwe Party obtaining 44% of the total votes in KwaZulu-Natal, Thami Ntuli from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has been elected as the new premier.
Ntuli was duly elected in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature first sitting in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, 14 June.
KWAZULU-NATAL HAS A NEW PREMIER
The ANC’s Nontembeko Boyce defeated MK Party’s Mervyn Dirks to retain her position as Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature.
As previously reported, no political party achieved an outright majority (50% +1), this meant that political parties have to form a coalition in order to govern the province.
The IFP which received the second highest votes in the province formed a coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the National Freedom Party (NFP) and the African National Congress (ANC).
How many seats do political parties have?
- The Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party emerged as the biggest winner in KwaZulu-Natal with 37 seats.
- The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has the second-highest number of seats in the legislature, with 15.
- The African National Congress has 14 seats.
- The Democratic Alliance (DA) has 11 seats, while Julius Malema’s has two seats.
- Lastly, late Zanele kaMagwaza Msibi’s National Freedom Party (NFP) has one seat.
was nominated for the premiership alongside Muhammad Khalid Sayed, from the ANC. Winde won the contest with 26 votes, after a secret ballot, while Sayed obtained 14 votes. Two votes were spoiled.
Before the election, KwaZulu-Natal judge president presided over the official swear-in ceremony of all members of the provincial legislature (MPLs), in the chambers in Pietermaritzburg.