DURBAN - Despite being dumped by the EFF, ActionSA and the DA in coalition talks, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has sealed a deal with small parties to govern eThekwini.
This was revealed to the Daily News by the party’s provincial spokesperson, Nhlakanipho Ntombela on Wednesday morning.
He said the EFF’s withdrawal from talks would not affect or jeopardise the party’s chances of governing eThekwini, adding that the party had already sealed the deal with the majority of small parties in eThekwini.
“We are fine in eThekwini. The majority of small parties have agreed to work with us but the formal announcement would be made after the National Executive Committee meeting on Friday,” said Ntombela.
The EFF formally pulled out of talks with the ANC on Tuesday, this after the party rejected most of the demands which were tabled by EFF as conditions before a coalition could be formed.
These conditions included removing Die Stem from the national anthem Nkosi Sikelela i-Afrika, which the ANC rejected.
Others were the establishment of a state bank within 12 months, fast tracking of the land expropriation without compensation amendment bill as well as nationalisation of the Reserve Bank within 12 months, which the ANC rejected.
Ntombela added that there was a possibility that the IFP would change its earlier stance and work with them, adding that it would not be a coalition in terms of sharing power, but parties would help each other where the other was the majority.
Daily News learned that on Monday President Cyril Ramaphosa and IFP President Emeritus Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi held secret talks. The IFP is expected to formally announce which parties it would form a coalition with in a media briefing today.
The ANC received 96 seats in eThekwini and needed 20 seats to be able to govern the city. With close to 20 smaller parties, including a couple of independents, the party is likely to retain power in the only metro in KZN.
Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) leader, Philani Mavundla confirmed that they were talking with the ANC as a bloc of smaller parties, but everything would be formally announced before the end of the week.
To comment on this story send a WhatsApp message to our BackChat column on 071 485 7995
Daily News