NFP's apology demand delays IFP coalition talks

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has urged its breakaway party, the National Freedom Party (NFP), to allow coalition talks to take place.

“We have approached them and we are waiting for them to come to the table so that we can discuss the issue of coalitions,” said IFP national treasurer Narend Singh.

The NFP recently said it would not engage in any coalitions talks with the IFP until the latter apologised publicly for the statements it made before the elections.

Singh on Thursday urged the NFP to bring all the preconditions to the negotiating table.

“We are not prepared to talk preconditions through the media and letters,” he said.

The NFP said it wanted the IFP to apologise for having accused it of being an African National Congress project aimed at destabilising the IFP.

The May 18 local government elections resulted in 19 hung municipalities in the KwaZulu-Natal.

The political parties need to conclude coalitions so councils can be formed in these municipalities.

The NFP, which won Edumbe municipality outright and gained a majority vote in Nongoma, is kingmaker in a number of the hung municipalities.

The ANC has a majority in 14 of them, the IFP in four.

The NFP was not immediately available to comment.—Sapa