IFP, ANC reach coalition agreement in KZN's hung councils - Hlabisa
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has made a U-turn and says it will work with the African National Congress (ANC) in hung councils in KwaZulu-Natal.
IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa made the announcement at a press briefing in Durban on Wednesday afternoon.
He said the two parties have reached a deal to work together in municipalities that need governance.
He said the IFP and ANC have agreed that where one of them has the most number of seats but not outright majority, that party will form a government and the other will become the official opposition.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal says the coalition is not surprising.
DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers says the party entered into negotiations with the IFP in good faith.
"The DA’s negotiating mandate was to support the IFP and in return requested to hold the position of MPAC in those councils.
"This would have afforded the DA the opportunity to monitor and ensure effective and clean governance. Obviously, this proposal would have exposed the IFP in those municipalities where governance has failed.
"The DA will now field mayoral candidates in KZN’s hung municipalities including eThekwini and Msunduzi. This will now force the IFP and ANC coalition to show its hand in the election of these positions."
