THE ANC in the cash-strapped Abaqulusi municipality has accused the IFP of wasting ratepayers' money by turning the town's budget road show into a "political rally".

The show was held this week at Cecil Emmett Rugby Stadium in Vryheid.

ANC Abaqulusi regional chairperson Mkhawuleni Khumalo said they were concerned about the use of municipal finances to push the IFP agenda.

"We were expecting this to be a budget meeting, but it turned out to be an IFP rally," Khumalo said.

"IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi was the guest speaker and he went on about the rifts and divisions within his party rather than talk about the issues affecting the people.

"Again, people were transported from IFP-dominated areas and not a single bus fetched people in the ANC-dominated areas."

Meanwhile, the eThekwini regions of Cope have rejected statements made by the party's uGu regional leaders that they support interim Cope president Mosioua Lekota for election as party president.

The eThekwini region declared that they would adhere to the policy position taken at the regional policy conference held last month.