Both the National Freedom Party (NFP) and the African National Congress (ANC) have filed motions of no confidence against Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) office bearers in Nongoma, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The move follows a recent decision by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to part ways with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and reach a cooperation agreement with the ANC.
Nongoma is one of the hung municipalities in the province which the IFP may lose as a consequence of the EFF decision.
The Nongoma council is composed of 20 IFP councillors, while the NFP has 14 seats, the ANC 8, the EFF 2 and the National People’s Front one seat.
NFP’s Canaan Mdletshe explains, “There are two motions that have been filed in Nongoma, one is the motion against the speaker and another one is the one that has been filed by the ANC and is against the mayor of Nongoma councillor Mncwango. The reasons why these motions have been filed are simple, we are working with the ANC quite frankly we have numbers on our side. We are confident that come Wednesday the municipality is going to be run by the coalition of the NFP, ANC and EFF.”
The NPF which is a smaller party in Nongoma has raised concerns about the safety of councillors amid the leadership tussle between political parties in hung municipalities.
“We are very concerned because it seems that people prioritise positions rather than service delivery, it is happening in our country that if numbers are short with one or two some people may see that if they can assassinate that councillor there will be a by-election. So we need people to accept, those who are the majority they must be in charge,” says party’s Bheki Gumbi.
Video: An NFP councillor who defied his party’s orders in hot water
