KwaZulu-Natal is likely to be led by either the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, an IFP-led coalition, or even a coalition between the two parties, according to a well-placed leader. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

• The ANC held discussions with several parties at a national level.
• There are also informal talks at a provincial level, pertaining to power-sharing in the KZN legislature.
• The Gauteng ANC is considering implementing a provincial GNU – the set-up should be similar to the national one.

Confusion has characterised the ongoing talks to form a government in KwaZulu-Natal.

The province is likely to be led by either the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, an IFP-led coalition, or even a coalition between the two parties, according to a well-placed leader.

Former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party attracted the most voters in KwaZulu-Natal, at 45.35%, translating to 37 seats in the Pietermaritzburg-based legislature. The MK Party needs only five seats to take over control of the 80-seat legislature.

An insider in the talks told News24 that some leaders in the IFP want to completely ditch the DA, with whom the party has a service delivery pact in the province, while some senior ANC leaders wanted to work out an arrangement that keeps the DA out of provincial leadership – even if it means working with the ANC’s newest arch-nemesis, the MK Party.

IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said: “There is no confusion in the IFP.”

“The IFP coalitions team, led by its deputy president, iNkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, is clear and briefed the NEC today [Monday] accordingly.”  

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Some ANC leaders prefer to work with the DA-IFP-NFP nexus.

A high-ranking politician privy to the provincial talks said: 

News24 understands the IFP, DA, ANC and the NFP have had a number of informal meetings, which another leader described as being about “proposed cooperation and agreements” among their parties in the legislature. 

One leader said the IFP was considering ditching the DA, despite the two having a service delivery agreement that had propped up the IFP in KwaZulu-Natal, in favour of the MK Party which enjoyed the larger share of the electoral support in the province.  

This was put to the DA’s Dean Macpherson, who said the DA had made it clear to all parties and leaders “that we cannot, and will not, work with the MK Party or the EFF”.

He said there had been no communication from the IFP about its intention to stop working with the DA, in favour of the MK Party. 

“In any case, the MK Party isn’t represented in local government, where we [the DA and IFP] work together, so it is a moot point in our view,” Macpherson said. 

A source told News24 there was also reluctance among ANC leaders to work with the DA.

ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said the party’s provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo was leading the discussions with other parties in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Mndebele refused to be drawn into whether the ANC was satisfied with the progress of the talks and whether the ANC had spoken to all the parties, including the EFF and the MK Party, saying:

The NFP, which holds a crucial single seat, couldn’t be reached for comment. 

The party has taken a resolution on party leaders who are involved in the coalitions discussion, including its deputy president, Milton Sokhela, treasurer-general Xolani Sibiya, national executive committee member Edward Thwala, provincial secretary Emmanuel Twala, and national administrator Themba Dladla. 

Meanwhile, uncertainty characterises the composition of the Gauteng provincial government, as provincial top brass seek a way forward.

Interviews for the Gauteng premier are under way, and the ANC is looking to keep Panyaza Lesufi in the role.

Lesufi’s future and who will govern Gauteng are up in the air amid talks and negotiations for a government of national unity (GNU). At a recent meeting of the national executive committee, the ANC debated possibly collaborating with the MK Party to co-govern in provinces.

After its abysmal showing at the polls, the ANC must collaborate with other parties to govern Gauteng, where the ANC received only 36.47% of the vote; it needs help from either the DA, or the EFF and MK Party.

The ANC Gauteng executive committee nominated Lesufi, Tasneem Motara and Mosupyoe Morakane last week as potential premier candidates. This was in line with the ANC’s call for provincial executive committees to nominate three candidates, two of whom should be women.

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ANC Gauteng elections head Lebogang Maile said local leaders were also locked in meetings to discuss how the GNU could be adopted at a provincial level.

“We are having our own discussion as the arrangement will be the same with one or two [adaptations] – but, by and large, it would be the same because we are one organisation. Because there is already a framework, it will guide us,” Maile said.  

Maile said the ANC in Gauteng would analyse the results and explain how it failed to secure an outright majority at a later stage.

“This is going to be a continuous process. We must get all the information, all the research, look at it, we cannot rush it, we must do it properly,” Maile said, adding that it was unlikely the research and analysis of the results would be made public.