By Celani Sikhakhane
The NFP has rejected its president’s threat to collapse the government of provincial unity in KwaZulu-Natal after he accused the IFP of not making him mayor of the Zululand district municipality.
Ivan Barnes was furious when IFP councillors acted behind his back last week to support their regional leader, Mkhonyovu Khumalo, to replace Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi as mayor.
Khumalo was elected as mayor of the Zululand district last Thursday.
The election took place a few days after Barnes was declared an NFP councillor in Zululand.
He warned the IFP leadership that if they failed to declare Khumalo’s election invalid, he would have no option but to collapse the provincial government by withdrawing his party from the government of provincial unity.
On Monday, Teddy Thwala, the NFP’s secretary-general, issued a statement telling Barnes not to involve the party in his personal battles.
“He thinks he is entitled to be the executive mayor of the Zululand district municipality because of the NFP’s one seat in the legislature. It’s very unfortunate that within the NFP, we have individuals who believe that the wishes of the voters must be compromised and sacrificed in their pursuit of personal enrichment,” said Thwala.
Thwala said that Barnes must respect the provincial leadership.
“We don’t have any written agreement with the IFP which states that we will get Zululand district in exchange for the provincial government support. Right now, we are part of the government, and our aim is to make the lives of our people better,” he said.
The NFP was a kingmaker during the first sitting of the KZN legislature after the 29 May general elections.
Their one seat helped the ANC, DA and IFP coalition take control of the provincial government.
They were rewarded with an executive committee seat, and their provincial chairperson, Mbali Shinga, is now the MEC for Social Development.
Pictured above: NFP president Ivan Barnes was warned by the party’s secretary-general, Teddy Thwala, not to involve it in his personal battles.
Source: Celani Sikhakhane/X
