Four major political parties in South Africa have decided to join forces and form a coalition government in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and National Freedom Party (NFP) have agreed to work together after none of them won an outright majority in the recent elections.
Their candidate for the powerful role of KZN Premier is Thami Ntuli from the IFP. Mr Ntuli is the current IFP chairperson in the province.
The move comes after years of the ANC governing KZN, which was disrupted by the rise of former President Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party). The MK Party made big gains in the elections, capitalizing on Zuma’s support base in the province.
Political analysts say the four-party coalition is an attempt to block the MK Party from taking control of the provincial government. There were also rumours that some ANC leaders aligned to Zuma were trying to remove the ANC from the eThekwini metro coalition.
This is an unprecedented move, but these are unprecedented times in KZN politics said an expert on provincial governments. “The parties have put aside their differences to unite against a common perceived threat.”
Reaction has been mixed, with MK Party supporters accusing their opponents of undermining democracy. However, others welcome a coalition as a way to ensure stable governance after the election upheaval.
The new KZN coalition government is expected to be officially announced and sworn in over the next few weeks. Only time will tell if this unique multi-party alliance can truly unite and govern the important Zulu heartland province effectively.
What do you think of this new 4-party coalition to lead KZN? Is it a positive move for democracy and stability, or just an anti-Zuma coalition? Share your views below.