EDITORIAL: KZN people and economy must come before political self-interest

When the ANC lost its electoral dominance in the 2024 general election, fears were expressed that the instability of coalition politics at local government level would play itself out at the provincial and national spheres of government. This fear is perilously close to materialising in KwaZulu-Natal.

For the past month, the coalition government of the province, which hosts Africa’s busiest port, has been on tenterhooks after a vote of no-confidence was moved by the National Freedom Party (NFP) against premier Thami Ntuli.

Ntuli, a deployee of the IFP, survived the motion because the NFP’s only member of the legislature defied her party and voted with coalition partners including the IFP, the DA and the ANC.

Mbali Shinga, from the NFP, serves on Ntuli’s government of provincial unity as MEC for social development. She now faces sanction, including a recall, from her party.

Meanwhile, the future of the provincial government hangs in the balance, fuelling uncertainty. The ANC and the DA, which supported Ntuli’s elevation to premiership, are seeking urgent discussions with the NFP national leadership.

The impasse in KwaZulu-Natal is concerning. Worse, that the source of instability is a single-seat party should worry many South Africans.

KwaZulu-Natal is a disaster-prone province. Its long-suffering citizens have survived years of political violence, devastating floods and decades-long misrule by the ANC. After years of turmoil, only recently has the ANC deployed a decent mayor in Cyril Xaba, as mayor of eThekwini.

The impasse in KwaZulu-Natal is concerning. Worse, that the source of instability is a single-seat party should worry many South Africans.

With national government intervention, Xaba has stabilised eThekwini, and the city’s public beaches — long shut — have become swimmable again. City-related tourism is on the recovery.

Thanks to help by the private sector, the port of Durban, a catalyst for the province’s economy, is showing signs of improvement.

An unstable provincial government will threaten this recovery trajectory. Importantly, it will jeopardise KwaZulu-Natal’s attractiveness as an investment destination. Organised crime such as construction mafias has done its fair bit in scaring off potential investors.

Beyond natural and other man-made disasters, KwaZulu-Natal has been cursed with poor leadership. After the 2024 general elections, coalition governments — at national and provincial levels — have been formed by the largest parties.

The ANC formed the government of national unity, and in Gauteng and in the Northern Cape — provinces where the ANC dipped under 50% of all votes — the ANC formed power-sharing governments.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the largest party is Jacob Zuma’s MK party (MK) with more than 40% of votes. Ordinarily, this ought to be the party that formed a government. It didn’t for a variety of reasons.

These reasons include the fact that the new party, a breakaway from the ANC, was inept at handling coalition talks, and, also, MK’s vision of the country and province remains a mystery.

Since its formation in 2023, the party has routinely appointed and sacked its leaders except for its founder and family members.

Chronic instability

With this track record of instability and lack of internal party democracy — such as not holding elective conferences — there is reasonable apprehension that these traits will be replicated in governance structures. For example, with them at the helm, there is no telling how many premiers will be appointed only to be sacked.

While in theory an MK government would be an acknowledgement of voters’ will, in reality it could prove a cruel joke on KwaZulu-Natal’s citizens. Under the circumstances, the centrist provincial coalition remains an imperfect, yet viable, option for KwaZulu-Natal’s citizens. But the politics of cynicism must stop at once.

In municipalities, the ANC, which is facing voters’ rejection, has cynically imposed candidates from smaller parties as mayors. Johannesburg is a case in point.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the country is reminded what happens when the politics of expediency trumps principles. In effect, the province is being held hostage by the NFP and Shinga for selfish reasons.

It seems the provincial leaders are driven by narrow self-interest. The national leadership must cobble together a deal that prioritises the people and the KwaZulu-Natal economy instead of individuals’ interests.