The African National Congress (ANC) has rejected the Umkhonto weSizwe Party’s (MKP) call to engage in coalition talks in KwaZulu-Natal, aimed at toppling the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)-led Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
The MKP’s second deputy president, Tony Yengeni, had written to the ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, requesting a meeting to discuss the formation of a new coalition government and a motion of no confidence against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli.
ANC’s Stance on Coalition Talks
However, the ANC’s national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, stated that there was no meeting scheduled, and Mbalula was busy with other commitments. Bhengu-Motsiri added that the MKP was not a priority for the ANC, and the party was focused on its own work.
The MKP had also invited the ANC to attend a multi-party talk, scheduled to take place in Durban, which would develop a strategy to topple the IFP-led GPU. The National Freedom Party (NFP) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have confirmed their attendance, but the ANC will not be participating.
Key Players and Their Roles
Here are the key players involved in the coalition talks:
- MKP: Initiated the coalition talks to topple the IFP-led GPU
- ANC: Rejected the MKP’s call for coalition talks
- NFP: Supports the MKP-sponsored motion of no confidence against Premier Ntuli
- EFF: Confirmed attendance at the multi-party talk
The NFP’s decision to support the MKP-sponsored motion comes despite the party’s initial involvement in constituting the current provincial coalition in 2024. The party’s disciplinary hearing against Mbali Shinga, the Social Development MEC, is expected to be concluded soon.
