POLITICAL NEWS - Months after the initiation of IFP and DA coalition talks meant to formalise relations between the two political parties in KwaZulu-Natal’s hung municipalities, an agreement is yet to be reached.
The talks, which could see the two political parties strike a deal to co-govern the province of KZN in the event of the ANC falling below 50% in next year’s general elections, are rumoured to have deadlocked.
According to sources within both the IFP and DA, negotiation teams from the two political parties are struggling to find common ground on some aspects of the draft cooperative agreement.
Our view as the IFP is that there appears to be a lack of appreciation from the other party [DA] that the IFP is currently the second biggest political party in KZN. While it’s important for us to approach the talks as equals, the issues of the numbers can’t be completely disregarded,” a senior IFP leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
The IFP currently controls several KZN municipalities in the province following a dismal performance by the ANC in the 2021 municipal elections. However, in some municipalities, the IFP was only able to gain total control through a coalition with the EFF.
When the EFF pulled out of the cooperative agreement with the IFP early in the year, the KZN’s second biggest political party found itself in a precarious position in municipalities where it had been governing through the support of the red berets.
To tighten its grip on the KZN hung municipalities, the IFP then began strengthening ties with the DA, a party which some political observers agree the IFP will need if it were to stand any chance of toppling the ANC in KZN after next year’s polls.
While insiders told The Witness that striking an agreement was now proving difficult, the IFP leadership remained optimistic.
IFP provincial chairperson
IFP provincial chairperson, Thami Ntuli, said while the party was awaiting a response from the DA on the IFP’s submission, there was nothing suggesting that the talks have deadlocked.
What’s happening at the moment is not something which one can regard as a deadlock. The IFP has made some input and the DA is currently considering the IFP’s position. As the IFP, we are awaiting feedback from the DA. Once we get feedback from the DA, we will apply our minds to it. So, there is no deadlock — the process is continuing.
DA provincial leader, Francois Rodgers, said members of the party’s task team which have been engaging the IFP in the province have concluded their work.
“We have sent a draft to the DA Fedex [federal executive] for consideration.
The IFP is one of the organisations participating in talks involving opposition parties who have shown an interest in pulling together as part of a bid to oust the ANC from power nationally after next year’s general elections.
Article: Caxton publication, The Witness
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