ANC denies that Cyril and Buthelezi have been hashing out KZN coalition deal

The ANC has denied reports that party president Cyril Ramaphosa has met with former Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) President Mangosuthu Buthelezi to discuss a potential coalition deal in KwaZulu-Natal’s hung municipalities.

In a statement released on Saturday morning, the party said they, like other parties, have established a team to handle their coalition negotiations and Ramaphosa was not a member of this team.

“These reports are inaccurate and not in keeping with the framework adopted by various parities on coalitions,” the ANC statement reads.

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“The ANC has already placed on record its approach to coalitions. As a matter of fact, the ANC like all other parties has established a team to deal with coalition talks. From both the ANC and the IFP the teams exclude both President Ramaphosa and Emeritus President Buthelezi respectively.”

The party says their National Executive Committee will meet on Sunday to receive reports from their coalition team, on the outcomes of their discussions with potential coalition partners. The outcomes of the NEC discussion on the matter will be communicated to South Africa following this.

“We therefore urge the public and the media to allow organizations to make finality and accordingly pronounce themselves in this crucial process of coalitions. We are fully aware of temptations to second guess parties and their approach to coalitions,” they said.

The party reiterated that it would form coalitions with the goal of bringing “about stability in municipalities and further contribute to the acceleration of service delivery in communities”.

The party had on Thursday said it completed its engagements with political parties chosen to be their partners in hung coalitions.

ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said it’s been a “three-tier process with discussions involving all layers of leadership throughout the country”.

Meanwhile, the DA, ActionSA, the Freedom Front Plus, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Cope met this week to find a way they could prevent the ANC from ruling the roost in Gauteng’s key metros.

Also Read: Six parties meet to hammer out deals in attempt to keep ANC out of power in key metros

No deal has been done yet, but the parties committed to continue through the weekend. Parties in hung councils have until Tuesday to meet and elect a mayor and speaker.

Joburg’s newly elected council debuts on Monday and a question mark hangs over the relationship between the DA and former mayor Herman Mashaba.

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