Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) says the National Freedom Party’s decision to withdraw from the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) opens the way for another motion of no confidence in the provincial premier, Thami Ntuli.
MK Party’s second deputy president, Tony Yengeni, said the party welcomed the NFP’s move and viewed it as an endorsement of MK as the party that should govern the province.
“I want to start by congratulating the NFP on behalf of Umkhonto weSizwe for having left the GPU and endorsed and supported MK as the majority party that must govern the province of KwaZulu-Natal,” Yengeni said.
He said the MK Party, together with the NFP and the Economic Freedom Fighters, intended to return to the legislature with another motion of no confidence.
“Together with the NFP and the EFF, we can put the vote of no confidence back into the legislature and make a very big dent against the current government,” he told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
Yengeni said the motion was primarily aimed at removing the current premier, whom he accused of corruption and poor governance.
“The vote of no confidence is primarily against the premier because the premier has exhibited very corrupt ways of handling the state of KwaZulu-Natal, mismanagement, corruption, nepotism, abusing of state resources,” he said.
On whether the MK Party would nominate the next premier if the motion succeeded, Yengeni said the matter had not yet been decided.
“That matter is yet to be decided upon. I can’t say for now which party will present the premier of KZN,” he said.
He said the MK Party remained open to engaging other parties but emphasised its dominance in the legislature.
“Our doors are open to any party that wants to speak to us because we are the majority party in that legislature,” Yengeni said.
He pointed out that the MK Party held 37 seats, compared to the IFP’s 15 and the ANC’s 14, saying even a combined opposition could not match MK’s numbers.
Responding to concerns that another motion of no confidence could lead to a political deadlock in KwaZulu-Natal, Yengeni said such an outcome was possible but insisted political dynamics could shift.
He referred to the previous vote, where a secret ballot was not allowed. “We insisted on a vote that is a secret vote, but the Speaker ruled against us,” he said, adding that the MK Party would again push for a secret ballot.
“If we’re given that opportunity, we’re certain that certain members of other parties will find it prudent for them to vote with us to remove that premier,” he said.
While he confirmed that formal talks were publicly limited to the EFF and the NFP, Yengeni suggested there was growing support within the legislature. “There may well be members of that legislature that would want to vote with us in removing that premier,” he said.
Yengeni said the failure of a future motion would not deter the MK Party. “This is not a once-off event. It’s a process. It’s a struggle,” he said. “We may not succeed in the first instance or the second instance, but the struggle continues.”
He described the MK Party as the fastest-growing political organisation in the country, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. “If you go by the results of the previous by-elections in KZN, it’s very clear to me and to everybody that Umkhonto weSizwe is the fastest-growing party in the country today,” he said.
Addressing concerns about internal instability within the MK Party, including leadership changes and suspensions, Yengeni said these were normal challenges for a young organisation.
“Two weeks ago, the MK Party became two years old. So it’s a political toddler compared to the giants in this country,” he said.
He defended the party’s leadership changes as necessary for effective governance.
“The reason why we are chopping and changing certain positions in the party is because we are looking for the right people for the right job,” Yengeni said.
“If at a certain point we realise that this comrade has no capacity to do the job, you are removed on the spot and replaced.”
Yengeni said discussions on the timing of the next motion of no confidence were ongoing and would be announced once finalised.
Politics
