In the aftermath of the inauguration of new KwaZulu-Natal premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, the DA believes the move heralded a new dawn in doing away with corruption and accelerating service delivery.
The party said if the red berets and the former president Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe Party had governed the province, this would have spelled catastrophe for good governance.
“The DA in KZN is proud of its achievements to date to ensure that we kept the province out of the hands of the MK and EFF, as well as secure a new premier and representation in the new cabinet,” Dean McPherson, the DA’s provincial chairperson, said on Wednesday.
Non-negotiables
According to McPherson, the blue party had entered into negotiations to form a government in the province with key non-negotiables, which were to keep the EFF and MK Party on the sidelines.
He said if the two radical forces had it their way, anarchy and chaos would have reigned supreme in the province.
“Our greatest achievement is that we were able to stop an MK majority in KZN. From our analysis, had it not been for the intensity of our campaign and the turnout of DA voters, the MK may very well have gotten a majority in the province.
“The blue party, as part of the new arrangement of government in provincial unity, scored two portfolios, namely finance and public works.
“The DA’s leaders in KZN, Francois Rodgers and Lucas Meyer, will head the two departments, respectively, as MECs.”
The DA also wants the promises that the party made to the voters to be achieved, including keeping the community safe by crushing the so-called water tanker mafia, which has kept scores of residents without water.
Leading up to the May 29 election, the DA also promised hundreds of jobs.
ANC rewarded with three portfolios
In what appeared to be a tough balancing act to appease all parties forming the new government, Ntuli appointed three ANC members to the provincial legislature.
Siboniso Duma, the former MEC for economic development, tourism, and environmental affairs, was appointed to the revamped portfolio of transport and human settlements; Nomagugu Simelane was retained as the MEC for health; and Sipho Hlomuka, formerly MEC for transport, was given the new responsibility of heading education.
The IFP awarded itself with four portfolios.
Reverend Musa Zondi, the party’s senior leader, who was recalled from retirement, was assigned to economic development and tourism.
Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa was handed over the responsibilities of agriculture and land reform, and former Zululand district mayor, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, was appointed MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
Buthelezi is also the AmaZulu traditional prime minister.
Another senior leader of the IFP, Mntomuhle Khawula, was appointed MEC for arts and culture.
New changes announced
Ntuli also took the opportunity to announce new changes, placing the critical portfolio of community safety and liaison in his office.
The National Freedom Party, which secured the coalition agreement with one legislature seat, received the Mbali Shinga-led portfolio of social development as compensation.
Nomusa Dube-Ncube and at least five MECs who served in the sixth provincial administration under the ANC were shown the door.
Despite being a leading party in the legislature with 37 seats, the MK Party was relegated to the opposition benches.
It is currently exploring legal avenues to challenge the election results on grounds of vote-rigging.
The EFF, on the other hand, has only two seats in the legislature, having lost a total of six seats it had secured in the 2019 general elections.
