The National Freedom Party’s loss is the African National Congress’ gain – at least as much as the ANC leadership in KwaZulu-Natal is concerned.
At a press conference in Durban on Tuesday‚ ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma announced that the embattled NFP had thrown its weight behind the ANC for Wednesday’s local government election. But it also emerged that this only applied to KZN.
The NFP was disqualified for the vote after a payment deadline was missed‚ leading to speculation over who the party would formally back.
Bonga Nzuma‚ NFP provincial executive member and MPL‚ said that a decision was reached on Sunday at a party meeting in Nquthu‚ northern KZN‚ that the party’s provincial structures would endorse the ANC.
“It was decided that KZN will handle their own things [but] in Gauteng and Mpumalanga they have decided that if there is no NFP on the ballot there is no vote‚” he said.
He confirmed that only these three regions had made formal decisions.
However‚ the statement flies in the face of claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that many of the NFP’s structures – including the mayors in the crucial eDumbe and Nomgoma municipalities‚ and the NFP youth movement – had thrown their weight behind their party. Statements from the two mayors were broadcast live on SABC on Monday night.
But ANC provincial spokesman Mdu Ntuli described these NFP members as “a few renegades” — while Happy Khuzwayo‚ NFP Woman’s Movement chair and MPL‚ said all branches and regions were bound by this weekend’s decision to endorse the ANC in KZN.
The decision was also backed by party president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi‚ she said.
“What we are talking about now has been blessed by our president. She knows we are here and speaking about her party and our party. She said she will abide by what the members of the NFP say. As we always say‚ the voice of the majority must prevail [and] we reached a consensus based on the voice of the majority‚” said Khuzwayo.
Zuma said the formalising of the decision would take place once the vote had been concluded. However‚ he said the two parties already had a good working relationship as they led more than a dozen municipalities in coalition.
Zuma said: “Our respective parties share the same values‚ desires and vision for the future of the people of the country. We are informed by the good working relations that ANC and NFP have enjoyed in the municipalities where the two parties co-governed since the 2011 local government elections. Both the ANC and NFP acknowledge that there were challenges in some municipalities...the two parties have never differed in their shared goals of brining development to the heart of our formerly disadvantaged communities. On certain occasions‚ differences were related to matters of details instead of policies.”
Live results, cool maps, fierce battlegrounds: follow the local elections on our web app:http://bit.ly/2apwZKU
NFP backs ANC...but only in KZN
The National Freedom Party’s loss is the African National Congress’ gain – at least as much as the ANC leadership in KwaZulu-Natal is concerned.
At a press conference in Durban on Tuesday‚ ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma announced that the embattled NFP had thrown its weight behind the ANC for Wednesday’s local government election. But it also emerged that this only applied to KZN.
The NFP was disqualified for the vote after a payment deadline was missed‚ leading to speculation over who the party would formally back.
Bonga Nzuma‚ NFP provincial executive member and MPL‚ said that a decision was reached on Sunday at a party meeting in Nquthu‚ northern KZN‚ that the party’s provincial structures would endorse the ANC.
“It was decided that KZN will handle their own things [but] in Gauteng and Mpumalanga they have decided that if there is no NFP on the ballot there is no vote‚” he said.
He confirmed that only these three regions had made formal decisions.
However‚ the statement flies in the face of claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that many of the NFP’s structures – including the mayors in the crucial eDumbe and Nomgoma municipalities‚ and the NFP youth movement – had thrown their weight behind their party. Statements from the two mayors were broadcast live on SABC on Monday night.
But ANC provincial spokesman Mdu Ntuli described these NFP members as “a few renegades” — while Happy Khuzwayo‚ NFP Woman’s Movement chair and MPL‚ said all branches and regions were bound by this weekend’s decision to endorse the ANC in KZN.
The decision was also backed by party president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi‚ she said.
“What we are talking about now has been blessed by our president. She knows we are here and speaking about her party and our party. She said she will abide by what the members of the NFP say. As we always say‚ the voice of the majority must prevail [and] we reached a consensus based on the voice of the majority‚” said Khuzwayo.
Zuma said the formalising of the decision would take place once the vote had been concluded. However‚ he said the two parties already had a good working relationship as they led more than a dozen municipalities in coalition.
Zuma said: “Our respective parties share the same values‚ desires and vision for the future of the people of the country. We are informed by the good working relations that ANC and NFP have enjoyed in the municipalities where the two parties co-governed since the 2011 local government elections. Both the ANC and NFP acknowledge that there were challenges in some municipalities...the two parties have never differed in their shared goals of brining development to the heart of our formerly disadvantaged communities. On certain occasions‚ differences were related to matters of details instead of policies.”
Live results, cool maps, fierce battlegrounds: follow the local elections on our web app:http://bit.ly/2apwZKU
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