The ANC has rubbished claims by the MK Party that it is preparing to work with it in KwaZulu-Natal.
Speaking to TimesLIVE Premium on Wednesday, ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri poured cold water on the MKP's claims of a possible coalition in the province.
The ANC is part of the provincial government in KZN with its provincial chair Siboniso Duma holding the MEC of transport portfolio.
“The ANC has noted the claim by the MK Party,” said Bhengu-Motsiri. “There is neither such a plan nor any discussion to that effect.”
The government of national unity talks between the ANC and the MKP fell flat following the polls after the latter put the removal of ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa on its list of demands.
The ANC flatly rejected this demand and proceeded to form the GNU without the MK Party.
It would be irresponsible of the MK Party leadership not to fight and defend the votes and the democratic decision made by the people of KZN.
— Magasela Mzobe, MKP’s head of presidency
The MK Party held a media briefing on Wednesday where it stated it was preparing to govern the province.
The party alleged it would receive the backing of the ANC and the National Freedom Party to take over the provincial government.
It emerged as the largest political party in the province after garnering a whopping 45% and 38 of the 80 seats in the legislature at the May 29 national and provincial elections.
However, despite this victory, which pushed the ANC to a mere 17%, the MK Party failed to install its premier after the ANC, IFP and the DA worked together to elect the IFP’s Thami Ntuli to the position.
The party’s head of presidency Magasela Mzobe on Wednesday said the party would be irresponsible not to fight to take the premiership given that the majority of KwaZulu-Natal residents had voted for the MK Party.
He claimed that both the ANC and the NFP would help the party take over government, emphatically stating this would be before the announcement of the new budget in April.
Mzobe, however, sought to be diplomatic, stating they would still see who among the party’s representatives in the legislature would vote with them.
“The truth is the people of KZN have made their choice, and their choice is the uMkhonto weSizwe party. It would be irresponsible of the MK Party leadership not to fight and defend the votes and the democratic decision made by the people of KZN. So we will agitate, and we will mobilise people of KZN who voted for the MK Party to help install it as a legitimate government to govern KZN,” said Mzobe.
“The numbers are there, it's 45%, and we will use that 45% to remove the IFP-DA government with the help of the ANC and the National Freedom Party. As to who is going to vote with the MK Party we will see, but the clear intention is that the stealing of public funds happening now must be the last budget they are able to steal. The new budget comes on April 1, and the MKP by that time should be presiding over the government of KZN.”
The government that was formed in KZN, which elected Ntuli as premier, resulted from continued talks of the GNU which found resonance in the province.
It is unclear whether the MK Party and the ANC have since found each other since the formation of the government of provincial unity in the KZN.
The MK Party is also the biggest party in many of the regions and municipalities in KZN, receiving about 600,000 votes in the eThekwini metro.
Because of this overwhelming support, MKP secretary-general Floyd Shivambu, formerly the EFF deputy president, said they have decided to take its one-year anniversary celebrations to Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on December 15.
He said the celebrations would take place in eThekwini after the region contributed the largest number of votes to its overall numbers in the 2024 general elections.
“We invite the people of KZN, of South Africa, all ground forces, the members of uMkhonto weSizwe, to come in their numbers to celebrate and mark the first anniversary of uMkhonto weSizwe which will take place on Sunday, December 16 2024.”
Shivambu also said there would be a gala dinner on December 16, MKP’s birthday.
Shivambu used the briefing to also reiterate the party's opposition to the ANC-led GNU.
He said the MK Party represents the best of liberatory politics and will work tirelessly to unite all the progressive forces.
The MK Party will be headquartered in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, Shivambu said.
The headquarters will be a stone’s throw away from the EFF’s Winnie Mandela offices.
The second head office, in Durban, would be established before the party’s anniversary in December.
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