The KwaZulu-Natal Caucus of the IFP has resolved to convene this News Conference in order to express our deep disquiet with the manner the ANC and MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube in particular with regards to the elections of Office-Bearers in certain Municipalities.
The IFP is now convinced that the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube in particular, are on a well-planned and well-orchestrated campaign to subvert the will of the people just as they did in 2011 when they ganged up against us with the NFP. In the recent elections the people of KwaZulu-Natal gave a clear mandate for the IFP to govern certain Municipalities, including Nquthu.
But since the first meeting to elect Office-bearers in Nquthu, ANC members have been acting in an unruly manner with the clear objective of ensuring that such a process does not take place. MEC Dube-Ncube has been aware of these ANC shenanigans; yet she has deliberately avoided to take decisive steps. Instead she keeps on sanctioning the postponement of these meetings.
Likewise in Jozini, on 23 August a meeting was convened to elect Office-bearers and inaugurate the Municipality. That meeting produced a stalemate in that both ANC and IFP received 50 votes each. That meeting was postponed to 26 August. On 26 August, ANC Councillors did not attend. Again that meeting was postponed to 30 August. On 30 August, ANC Councilors did not attend. Surely MEC Dube-Ncube has been made aware of all this. Yet, up until today, she has not taken any steps against these ANC Councillors.
We are aware that there is a broader plan by the ANC to ensure that Municipalities governed by the IFP are made ungovernable or taken over through the back-door. This became evident when the COGTA Minister van Rooyen stated, in Parliament stated that, if these problems persist, he will not hesitate to apply Section 139.
We also have credible information that some ANC leaders are bribing our Councillors in order to win Municipal leadership through devious means. We are also aware that there are plots to assassinate some of our Councillors; to an extent that our Councillors in Nquthu are now in hiding. Our Councillors in other Municipalities as well are living in fear of their lives.
We are also aware that most of these shenanigans are spearheaded by people who are afraid that once the IFP takes over some Municipalities and institutes audits, there will be revelations of corrupt and fraudulent activities and looting that have been going on within these Municipalities.
Against this background, the IFP has resolved to officially engage the ANC leadership in KwaZulu-Natal as a first step towards restoring sanity. If these attempts fail, we reserve our right to approach the courts.
Contact:
Mr Blessed Gwala
IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature
078 290 5842
