As reported by the Sunday World recently, the IFP and the ANC were locked in negotiations to extend their power-sharing deal to the local government sphere.
This has materialised through the sealing of a pact, which will see the two traditional political foes working together to govern Umzumbe local municipality under the Ugu district, KwaZulu-Natal south coast region.
This was confirmed when the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) resolved to recall the deputy mayor of Umzumbe, Mhlengi Luthuli. The move was to make way for the IFP candidate.
ANC deputy mayor to be replaced by IFP one
“This letter serves to inform you that the ANC lost its majority in the Umzumbe local municipality during the last by-elections. The IFP and the ANC are now on an equal basis, with 17 councillors each.
“As the ANC leadership, we have engaged the IFP and agreed to work together. [We have agreed] to form a government that will serve the people of Umzumbe,” reads a letter sent to Luthuli by ANC KZN secretary-general Bheki Mtolo.
As reported by the Sunday World, the agreement will see the ANC retain the mayorship and the council whip. It will also head the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC). The IFP, on the other hand, will be rewarded with a deputy mayor and speaker positions.
“The ordinary meeting of the provincial executive committee decided that in order for that decision to be sanctioned, you must withdraw as the deputy mayor of the ANC. This therefore serves to request that you furnish us with a resignation in the position of deputy mayor,” further said Mtolo in the letter.
After the 2021 municipal elections, the ANC won Umzumbe outright. But last year, six councillors were expelled from the ANC. They were charged with working with the opposition to defeat the ANC. This gave the greenlight for by-elections, with the IFP winning three wards. The ANC retained two wards, while the MK party won its first ward.
High performing newcomer MK Party on opposition benches
During the watershed May elections, the once-governing party lost its dominance in the province. It only managed a dismal 18% of the provincial vote. This translated to 14 legislature seats, from the 44 it had garnered in the 2019 provincial and national elections. The party, however, came back to power through a governing pact signed with the DA, IFP and NFP. Together, the parties have a slim majority of 41 seats.
Meanwhile, the former President Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), was reduced to the opposition benches. This is despite it becoming the leading party in KZN with 45%. The figure gave the political newcomer 37 legislature seats.
