Political parties in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) have defended their "doing" government alliance, claiming it is the best way to deliver services while maintaining the rule of law.
The unity government emphasised that their coalition was formed in the interests of the people and not any other agenda.
This follows a motion filed by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in the KZN legislature to discuss the effectiveness of the GPU.
According to MKP, the numbers favoured them, thus they claimed that the set-up arrangement was not what the people of KZN desired.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supported the MK's motion as well, arguing that the voters had not chosen the coalition in charge of the province administration.
The coalition government was formed after no single party won the majority in the May 29 national and provincial elections. This was to deny the MKP a chance to govern the province, it claimed.
The MKP achieved significant provincial success in the elections, securing 37 seats - nearly half of the 80 available seats in the KZN legislature.
With 45% of the province's vote, the MKP expressed confidence in its ability to govern the province effectively.
In its heated debate in the house, MKP questioned the GPU's progress in its first 100 days in office.
Responding to MKP, the DA's Martin Meyer said they have a stable government, "not one where members change daily“.
"In the GPU we have a caring government. In the GPU we have a government that defends the Constitution. In the GPU, we have a ‘doing’ government – all thanks to the people of KZN, for giving the constitutional parties, including the DA, 50+1," Meyer said.
He extended gratitude to the people of KZN for choosing pro-constitutional democracy parties.
"Imagine if KZN had a government that did not believe in constitutional democracy? If KZN had a government that wanted to throw out the Bill of Rights that protects us all? A government whose leader stands accused of hundreds of charges of corruption and whose secretary-general stands accused of looting VBS bank?
“A government that is accused of stealing from society’s most vulnerable, and leaders who think they are above the law?
“It is little wonder they want to make the law subservient to them," he said.
Meanwhile, MKP is intensifying its plans to dismantle the KZN GPU ahead of local government elections in 2026.
IOL Politics