ANC, EFF and NFP 'to work together' in hung KZN municipalities

The National Freedom Party (NFP) aims to work with the ANC and EFF in hung KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, the party said on Wednesday.

“We are going to work together, whether that [means] co-governing or not. We will vote together even if we arein opposition,” NFP secretary Canaan Mdletshe told TimesLIVE. 

If the deal is upheld, the parties could co-govern eight of these regions.

“According to our calculations, there are eight municipalities we can co-govern with another party. In others we may have to engage a smaller party or independents to work with us,” Mdletshe said.

The developments come after the EFF withdrew from a coalition deal with the IFP, which saw them co-govern the same number of municipalities. 

The EFF decided all members serving as deputy mayors must resign, leaving the IFP in the lurch. 

In the 2021 local government elections that resulted in no majority winner in at least 18 municipalities, the ANC received 41.4%, the EFF 8.6% and the NFP 2.09%, amounting to 52.17% collectively.

Municipalities affected by the EFF's decision include three district municipalities, Zululand, Amajuba and Uthukela, and five local municipalities, Dannhauser, Maphumulo, Nongoma, Umhlathuze and Mtubatuba.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.