DA questions IFP's failure to engage with the NFP's leadership
IFP's failure to meet with the NFP has angered the DA
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The IFP’s failure to meet with NFP leadership to discuss its concerns over the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) has angered the DA leadership.
The IFP/NFP meeting was supposed to take place last week prior to the multi-party meeting of the GPU partners that was proposed by the DA. The NFP refused to attend the meeting, citing the IFP’s refusal to meet with its leadership prior to the multi-party talks.
The DA chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Dean Macpherson expressed his party's concerns over IFP’s failure to honour NFP meetings, stating that his party's leadership held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the IFP’s action. He said the meeting resolved to immediately write to IFP to seek answers why it did not meet NFP.
“We are concerned about IFP’s action because we do not understand why it did not honour the agreement to meet NFP,” said Macpherson.
The IFP spokesperson had not responded to the questions sent to him on Wednesday.
NFP acting Secretary-General Sunset Xaba said he was unable to talk because he was in a disciplinary hearing of the Social Development MEC Mbali Shinga.
However, the Mercury had reported last week that the party had turned down an invitation to a multi-party talks because it felt undermined by the IFP’s refusal to meet it.
A call for all the GPU partners including NFP was made by the DA after it met the NFP and listened to its concerns, which led to the withdrawal of the GPU. The NFP had earlier met the ANC leadership prior to meeting the DA.
It was also reported that the IFP was courting the EFF to join the GPU. If this turns out to be true, it could strain the IFP's long-standing working relationship with the DA. Both the DA and EFF had previously stated that they would never work together.
The EFF said it was prepared to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) provided the DA was not there. On the other hand, the DA said the reason it joined the GNU was to keep Umkhonto weSizwe (MKP)/EFF coalition out of government.
EFF provincial secretary Vukani Ndlovu said his party can only consider joining the GPU if the IFP drops the DA.
“We want the best for the people of KwaZulu-Natal so any party approaches us with a clear plan to fast track service delivery to the people of the province. We will listen to that party, however, we have a principled position that we will not serve in any arrangement that includes the DA,” said Ndlovu
During the media briefing on Tuesday, ANC provincial coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu said his party would welcome the EFF joining the GPU, stating that his party has always been advocating for multi-party coalition. He announced that the ANC would soon meet NFP for a follow up meeting to further discuss GPU matters of concern.
In another development, the NFP is set to meet the MKP which reportedly preparing to file another motion of no confidence next month.