IFP Enters Agreement with ANC in KZN Despite Denying the Possibility, EFF Gets Sidelined

• The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the African National Congress (ANC) have come to an agreement
• In the agreement, both acknowledge that the party with the most votes in a hung council will form the municipality there
• The IFP previously seemed to be favouring a coalition with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) but have now alluded to the party being too demanding

DURBAN - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) previously stated that they refused to enter into a coalition with the ANC and seemed to be favouring the EFF. However, they have changed their tune by indeed entering into an agreement with the ANC.

The IFP said that the party that received the most votes in a municipality, even if they did not achieve a majority, should lead the municipality. This will allow parties in hung councils to assist one another.

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However, it must be noted that the party with the most votes in a hung council will not lead independently and cannot make decisions on council matters without consulting other parties.

Further details of operating a coalition

According to SABC News, the IFP will lead 24 of the 54 councils in KwaZulu-Natal. IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa said that coalition talks with smaller parties were not fruitful due to unrealistic demands.

"What we experienced in many of the discussions we held over hung municipalities was not encouraging. Some political parties appeared to see themselves as kingmakers and felt entitled to make difficult demands," Hlabisa said."

In the agreement, the ANC will have 96 seats and the IFP will have 16. 111 councillors are needed to govern and the two parties will have 112 altogether, Times Live reports.

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Reactions to ruling agreement

@SiyabongaG said:

"Sanity has prevailed."

@Jono25283512 believes:

"The IFP is going to regret this. The city has collapsed and all the blame will be put on the IFP now."

@LouisSiff shared:

"So if it happens that the ANC steals money Ethekwini, the IFP must answer to the public ne."

@innocen10079091 remarked:

"Mr Hlabisa has put people first, that is what coalition is all about,he doesn't like ANC but for people sake he made this decision now that is leadership."

IFP refuses to form coalitions with ANC in KZN hung councils

Previously, Briefly News reported that in many parts of KwaZulu-Natal there was no single party majority, which resulted in hung councils.

The parties who got the most votes in these areas are facing possible coalition governments but some say they do not want this.

One such party was the IFP, which had announced that they refused to form coalitions with the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal. The IFP argued that voters clearly did not want the ANC to govern and the ruling party has disappointed South Africans. It seems they have changed their minds and the EFF has now been sidelined.

Source: Briefly News