ANC KZN ‘definitely not’ working with MK party, says chair amid claims of tensions within GPU

The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has dismissed claims of tensions within the government of provincial unity (GPU) in the province.

The party leadership addressed the media on Monday, clarifying its relationship with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) and how these partnerships impact the GPU.

Provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma said that the ANC and IFP maintain a positive working relationship in the province, with the exception of Thulasizwe Buthelezi.

The relationship between the KZN ANC and Buthelezi, who also serves as Zulu prime minister, has always been strained and has frequently played out in public.

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“We are working well with all our GPU partners, but within these parties, there are some uncontrollable individuals,” said Duma.

“We see no reason why the arrangement of the current GPU will collapse. In fact, we believe we will finish the term. There are no tensions in the GPU. We have a good relationship with the leadership of the IFP, with the exception of Thulasizwe [Buthelezi].

“The tension with DA is ideological, it will always be there because, in terms of ideologies, we are on two different ends on the spectrum, but it does not mean we are unable to work together.”

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“We are definitely not working with the MK party,” added deputy chairperson Nomagugu Simelane.

‘We will fully comply’

The party’s secretary, Bheki Mtolo, also dismissed reports that the ANC national executive committee (NEC) plans to disband the KZN provincial executive committee (PEC) due to poor election results.

He said that no such discussions have taken place but affirmed that if the NEC were to decide on disbandment, the province would fully comply.

“The NEC of the ANC is the highest organ between conferences and has an obligation to lead the organisation in its entirety for the whole five-year term,” said Mtolo.

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“In its wisdom, the NEC, which myself and the chair are part of, can take any decision at any time regarding the functionality of its structures.

“What I can assure you is that those are genuine and loyal members of the ANC, once the decision of the NEC is taken, all members of the ANC in KZN and structures will abide by the decision of the NEC because we’re the subordinate of the NEC.

“When and if that decision comes, as the loyal members of the ANC, we will abide by the decision. None of us here does not belong to a branch. We will go back to our branches and be active there and do the bottom-up approach. An impression has been created that KZN must be an island that the NEC cannot touch, it can’t happen.”

‘Ramaphosa supports KZN ANC’

Duma added that the matter was not on the agenda of last week’s NEC meeting.

“It’s a brief we don’t have that the NEC will be discussing KZN PEC disbandment. If you know the tradition of the ANC, we don’t usually have the NEC in December anyway, so where does that come from?

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“President Cyril Ramaphosa and the top seven leadership have actually been supportive of this structure. Even in the last NEC meeting, this thing did not even come up, so it only exists in people’s heads.”