KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli.
Gallo Images/Siyabonga Sokhela
- The IFP has clarified that there is no crisis in the government of provincial unity in KwaZulu-Natal.
- According to the party, the provincial leadership remained stable.
- It denied rumors of an impending provincial cabinet reshuffle.
The IFP has thrown its weight and “unwavering support and confidence” in the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity (GPU) it leads.
According to the party, the province remained stable, and the GPU continued to govern effectively.
“The provincial government is delivering on its mandate of ensuring service delivery, good governance, and social cohesion,” the IFP’s spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said in a statement.
Through Premier Thami Ntuli, the party has been leading the province since the 2024 general elections.
The IFP also rejected a report in the Sunday Times suggesting that there is an agreement for Thulasizwe Buthelezi to be reshuffled as MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
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“The party wishes to make it absolutely clear that no such reshuffle agreement was made. The IFP cautions against the spread of misinformation and fake news. The IFP will continuously engage constructively with all our GPU partners to ensure the long-term viability, functionality, and stability of the government of provincial unity. We remain guided by the principles of cooperation, mutual respect, and accountability, which are foundational to the success of this unity arrangement,” Hlengwa said.
On Sunday, City Press reported that the GPU was facing its most serious test yet, as tensions between coalition partners threaten to collapse the fragile arrangement that has kept the province going since the 2024 elections.
This as coalition partners are at war, its premier is under siege, and Jacob Zuma’s MK Party stands ready to take over the province.
The National Freedom Party (NFP), which helped stabilise the coalition, has accused Ntuli’s administration of arrogance, dishonesty and political exclusion, charges that strike at the heart of the unity pact forged between the IFP, ANC, DA and NFP.
READ | KwaZulu-Natal GPU clash: NFP leader calls coalition ‘abusive’ amid leadership rift
The MK Party is now watching closely, hoping to exploit the discord by partnering with smaller parties to remove Ntuli through a motion of no confidence.
However, Hlengwa assured residents of KwaZulu-Natal that there was no crisis within the GPU.
“The government remains focused, united, and committed to the work of improving the lives of our people, growing the provincial economy, strengthening service delivery, and restoring confidence in ethical and effective governance.
“At this critical time, the IFP calls upon all political parties to act responsibly and place the interests of the people above partisan politics. The GPU represents an important model of cooperation and stability – one that must be nurtured,” he said.
