Cracks emerge in ANC/IFP agreement on hung municipalities

IFP councillors abstain from voting for ANC speaker in eThekwini Municipality while the party fielded its own candidates for positions at the City of uMhlathuze

Durban City Hall. File Picture

Published Nov 22, 2021

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DURBAN: Cracks are emerging in the agreement struck between the IFP and ANC regarding the governance of hung councils.

The eThekwini Municipality’s council meeting being held today to elect new leadership saw IFP councillors abstaining from voting for newly elected speaker Thabani Nyawose of the ANC.

KZN Premier and ANC provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala was seen this afternoon engaging with IFP chairperson Thami Ntuli outside the Moses Mabhida Stadium venue where the eThekwini council meeting was being held.

While at the council meeting for the City of uMhlathuze today, the IFP fielded its own candidates for leadership positions.

After intense negotiations about hung municipalities, the IFP and ANC last week announced that it had struck a deal.

The IFP said it had come to a broad understanding that where it had the most seats, despite no outright majority, it would form the municipal government. Reciprocally, where the ANC had the most seats, despite no outright majority, the ANC would form the municipal government.

“Neither party will interfere in this process, and will support the principle of the two largest parties becoming the government and official opposition respectively. Accordingly, where the IFP governs, the ANC will become the official opposition, and vice versa,” the IFP had said in a statement.

This is a developing story.

THE MERCURY