Celani Sikhakhane
The political game of betrayal in KwaZulu-Natal forced the ANC to turn against the EFF and withdraw their popular independent mayoral candidate in favour of the IFP.
This took place in the poverty-stricken municipality of Jozini after the IFP threatened the ANC that if they band up with the EFF, they will lose the eThekwini metro.
On Friday, the IFP almost lost its mayoral post to the independent candidate that was fielded by the ANC and the EFF – with the help of seven IFP councillors who anonymously voted against their party.
The EFF and ANC deal was part of the ongoing rejection of the ANC and IFP coalition agreement by their councillors on the ground.
The ANC national leadership had to intervene in Jozini and threatened to expel all its councillors who were going to vote for independent candidate Sbonelo Mathenjwa as Jozini’s new mayor instead of the IFP’s Fananaye Mathe.
The IFP also threatened to expel its seven councillors who were suspected to have joined the ANC and EFF in voting for the independent candidate.
“We told the ANC leadership that this is not the game. If their councillors give Jozini municipality to the independent candidate through their coalition with the EFF, they must say goodbye to eThekwini metro next week,” said an angry regional leader.
After a few minutes ANC councillors withdrew their independent mayoral candidate in favour of the IFP’s Mathe, who was then elected unopposed.
IFP deputy chairperson Thembeni Madlopha Mthethwa is worried about the ANC tactics.
“I went outside the hall to take the independent [candidate] inside because I don’t want the ANC to persuade them in their favour,” said Madlopha Mthethwa who was speaking to other leaders of the IFP.
One of the EFF leaders, who didn’t want to be named, said they don’t think they will ever forgive the ANC because they took the surprise decision to withdraw their support for the agreed mayoral candidate for the IFP.
