By Thapelo Molefe
The National Freedom Party (NFP) has withdrawn its confidence in KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli and threatened to walk out of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), accusing the coalition of poor governance, wasteful spending and a lack of accountability.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NFP said the GPU had failed to uphold the principles it was founded on, which are clean governance, transparency, and effective service delivery.
The party said it could no longer support an administration that had “eroded public trust” and “failed to deliver on its promises to the people of KwaZulu-Natal.”
“When the GPU was established, its founding principles were rooted in clean and transparent governance, effective service delivery, and the creation of an environment conducive to investment,” the statement read.
“Regrettably, what we have witnessed since the formation of the GPU stands in sharp contrast to these ideals. We have observed an erosion of public trust, marked by financial mismanagement and wasteful expenditure, including unnecessary international trips by the Premier.”
The NFP did not provide any specific example of an instance of governance failure that they are referring to. Last week, the Auditor General of South Africa cleared the KZN Education Department of R 2,6 billion of irregular expenditure from the 2022/ 2023 financial year.
The NFP’s single seat in the 80-member KwaZulu-Natal Legislature gives the coalition its slim governing majority. The GPU, formed after the 2024 elections, currently consists of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), and the NFP, holding a combined 41 seats.
If the NFP withdraws, the coalition’s total will drop to 40, stripping it of its majority and threatening to collapse the provincial government.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), led by former president Jacob Zuma, holds 37 seats and is the largest single party in the province. In its statement, the NFP appeared to endorse the possibility of a new provincial government under the MKP’s leadership.
“The NFP notes the ongoing political discussions among parties in KwaZulu-Natal and the overwhelming support the electorate expressed for the MK Party in the recent provincial elections,” the statement continued.
“We believe it may be prudent to allow the MKP to take a leading role in any future provincial governance formation.”
While stopping short of formally aligning with the MK Party, the NFP made it clear that it is reconsidering its place in the current coalition.
“The NFP remains committed to supporting any political arrangement that places service delivery, good governance, transparency, and the creation of an enabling environment for investment at the forefront.” it said.
The IFP-led Government of Provincial Unity was formed in June 2024 after no single party secured an outright majority in KZN. Its partners, which are the IFP, ANC, DA, and NF,P came together to keep the MK Party out of power, despite it winning the most votes.
Neither the Premier’s office nor the IFP had responded to the NFP’s statement by late Sunday.
The NFP’s withdrawal of confidence now places the stability of KZN’s coalition government in jeopardy and could open the door to renewed negotiations or a possible reshuffle of power in the province.
INSIDE METROS