DA strikes deal with IFP, won't contest Umkomaas by-elections
The Democratic Alliance says it's withdrawing from contesting the upcoming by-election in Ward 99 in eThekwini.
It says the move is to give the Inkatha Freedom Party a chance to win the vote and unseat the African National Congress in Umkomaas.
The DA and IFP in KZN held a joint press briefing in Durban on Tuesday.
The two parties say they held bilateral talks last month with the common purpose of removing the ANC from power in KZN.
"It is a view shared by the IFP that, where the DA has got a greater chance of victory, they too would step back to assist in removing the ANC and it will be looked at on a case-by-case basis," said DA provincial chair Dean Macpherson.
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"This decision and hopefully subsequent removal of the ANC from this ward will have important consequences in eThekwini Municipality, which is governed by a fragile ANC coalition."
He said there are other small parties calling them and showing an interest in coalition..
"And saying, 'Hey we want to be a part of what you guys are going in eThekwini. We want to be a part of what the DA and the IFP are doing. How do we come on board?'"
IFP KZN provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli said it has never been more urgent for opposition parties to work together to move the power away from ANC.
"Service delivery has been severely undermined by those in power placing a duty upon us as opposition leaders to do whatever it takes to rescue government."
