By Zukile Majova
They were strange bedfellows to begin with.
And now the love affair between the EFF and the IFP is over with ramifications for at least half a dozen towns in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
After the November 2021 local government elections the EFF – a party sworn to getting rid of the ANC government – helped the IFP government in at least 13 municipalities in the province.
The inexplicable union governed 11 local municipalities and two district municipalities.
But at the weekend EFF founder Julius Malema instructed all the party’s deputy mayors and speakers of council to resign and prepare to table motions of no confidence against IFP mayors.
“Here and now we say without any fear of contradictions, all our deputy mayors under the IFP must resign with immediate effect and we are no longer working with the IFP.
“We thought that the apartheid collaborator has changed their spots but it is very clear that they are not ready to change.
“The IFP must not get anything where we are involved, where you see the ugly head of the IFP, put it aside.”
The source of Commander-in-Chief’s anger is a refusal by the IFP to endorse the new coalition of the ANC and EFF which is designed to take control of Gauteng metros Joburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, from the DA-led coalition.
The Fighters have important seats in Zululand District Municipality, Amajuba District, Newcastle Local Municipality, Umhlathuze Local Municipality, Nongoma Municipality and Maphumulo Local Municipality.
The instability could have been worse but the IFP has been winning by-elections over the past 14 months which have allowed it to secure an outright majority in some of its councils.
Malema, who commands a registered membership of one million Fighters, said the EFF was now ready to govern and will be accepting offers of leadership positions in future negotiations.
“We are engaging other political parties so that the EFF gains the necessary governance experience.”
The red berets are expected to field a mayoral candidate during this week’s vote of no confidence in Ekurhuleni and the ANC is expected to support them.
