Durban — The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) in KwaZulu-Natal has expressed its willingness to form a coalition with its rival ANC, if no party was able to win the May 29 elections with an outright majority.
The surprise gesture was made by the MKP’s provincial co-ordinator Nhlanhla Ngidi to the Daily News after addressing the party’s mini-rally in Chatsworth, south of Durban, on Wednesday.
Ngidi, who tops the party list in the province, said although his party was working towards winning the province and to govern alone, but should that not happen the party was willing to form a coalition government with “all black” parties, including the ANC.
“Yes we are willing to work with the ANC after the elections, so it will decide whether it wants to partner with us or not but our hands are open. In fact after the elections we will call all the black parties to the table and ask them to unite for a common purpose of transforming the country for the benefit of all African people, so there is no black party we will say we do not want to work with,” said Ngidi.
The former provincial director-general under the ANC-led government had told the party supporters inside the hall earlier that he was impressed by the speeches of the “all black” parties during the signing of the code of conduct early on Wednesday, who said they would want to see land and the economy returning to the hands of the black majority.
All the parties contesting the elections next month were gathered in Durban on Wednesday to commit themselves and their supporters to a peaceful and fair elections.
Ngidi’s comment came amid speculation that the MKP could be a kingmaker in the province. The latest polls showed that the party was among the top four parties which also included the ANC, IFP and DA. Indications are that it would be a photo-finish between the four, forcing a coalition government.
Ngidi, who is expected to be the premier should the MKP win the province, marshalled the party’s ground forces to focus on snatching eThekwini, adding that the region would be a battleground in the few days prior to the elections because close to half of the province’s registered voters were in the region. With over 5 million registered voters in the province, 2 million are in eThekwini.
Given the enmity and rivalry between the ANC and the breakaway MKP, it was not clear whether the ANC would be willing to swallow its pride. ANC spokesperson Mafika Mndebele rejected the MKP gesture, saying the party’s internal polls showed that the ANC would win with an increased margin, therefore there will be no need for a coalition.
“The ANC is winning this (May elections) big time between 58% and 60% depending on voter turnout,” said Mndebele.
If the ANC and MKP were to form a coalition, this was likely to prove difficult for the IFP-DA coalition which had been long agreed and sealed. The parties are members of the national multiparty charter and are already co-governing the second biggest municipality in terms of revenue, uMhlathuze Local Municipality in Richards Bay on the north coast. With a R6 billion budget, the mineral-rich municipality has the second largest budget after eThekwini.
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