By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) President Velenkosini Hlabisa says the IFP will not form coalitions with the African National Congress (ANC).
Coalition talks are underway for the 17 hung councils in the province. (eThekwini; Newcastle; uMndoni; Inkosi Langalibalele; uMuziwabantu; Alfred Duma; Danhauser; eDumbe; Nongoma; uMhlabuyalingana; uMhlathuze; Mtubatuba; Mthonjaneni; KwaDukuza; Abaquluzi).
The IFP has also established a team that will work on establishing the party’s role in the hung municipalities where it has the highest number of votes.
The party team that will lead coalition talks includes spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa, chair of the national campaign committee Narend Singh, KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Thami Ntuli and Bonginkosi Dlamini (MPL).
Hlabisa says the party will not consider coalitions with parties that practice racism or corruption.
“Where we will govern as a leading party in KZN we will not enter into a coalition with the ANC. This is for simple reasons, the ANC has not been honest with us in the past. They have let down the people of the country and the voters clearly expressed themselves when it comes to the ANC,” says Hlabisa.
The IFP said it was willing to go into coalition with the DA, the EFF and other smaller parties, including independent candidates. The party will however work with the ANC outside the province as its relationship with the party’s national leadership differs.
“After 14 days we will enter into performance agreements with all our mayors. There will be municipal managers in that meeting and while we won’t be entering into performance agreements with them, we want all to know that we made a commitment to the public and it is also their responsibility to deliver,” Hlabisa explained.
Hlabisa said after the first 100 days in office, the performance of every mayor will be monitored and reviewed against the agreement each made with the party.
Founding member Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who was also present on Sunday, thanked Hlabisa for his leadership during the campaign.He also thanked all IFP members for their dedication in leading a successful campaign.
The ANC has won outright one metro and three out of the 10 district municipalities in KZN.
The IFP,on the other hand,was able to retain its Zululand district with a strong outright majority.
In eThekwini,the province’s only metro,the ANC won with a heavily reduced majority of 42% of the vote and a coalition between the IFP and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) could be beneficial to both parties, especially since the EFF has a strong following in Durban.
This is the how the election played out in the province’s 10 district municipalities:
- Zululand — IFP won uPhongolo and Ulundi local councils, while eDumbe, Abaqulusi and Nongoma were hung. The party retained the district;
- Ugu — ANC won uMdoni, uMzumbe, and Ray Nkonyeni local councils, while uMuziwabantu was hung. The party retained the district;
- uMgungundlovu — The DA had a historic win in the uMngeni local municipality, but the ANC won in the other councils, namely uMshwathi, Mpofana, Mpendle, uMsunduzi, Mkhambathini and Richmond. The ANC retained the district;
- Harry Gwala — The ANC won all four local councils, Greater Kokstad, uBuhlebezwe, uMzimkhulu and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. The party retained the district;
- King Cetshwayo — The IFP won the uMlalazi, Umfolozi and Nkandla local councils, while the City of uMhlathuze and Mthonjaneni municipalities were hung;
- Umkhanyakude — The IFP won the Jozini and Big 5 Hlabisa local councils, while uMhlabuyalingana and Mtubatuba are hung. The district was previously governed by the ANC;
- The IFP had won the Alfred Duma local municipality, while the Inkosi Langalibalele council remains hung;
- Amajuba — The Dannhauser, eMadlangeni and Newcastle local municipalities are all hung. This district was previously under the ANC;
- uMzinyathi — The IFP won the Nquthu and uMsinga local municipalities, while the Endumeni and Umvoti councils are hung. uMzinyathi was previously under the IFP in a coalition with the DA; and
- iLembe — The IFP won the Mandeni local council, while the ANC took majorities in KwaDukuza and Ndwedwe. The Maphumulo local municipality is hung. The district was previously under the ANC.
Overall, the ANC leads in the number of seat allocations per party at 784, and the IFP is the official opposition in local government at 522 seats. The DA came third.