A second look
Jaspreet Kindra
After five years of exposure to politics in KwaZulu-Natal, spending a week at the national Parliament was an eye-opener. It was amazing how unsophisticated and aggressive the debate was in Cape Town. Attacks from either side were often personal and ineffective if intended to change the other side’s position.
With a new alliance being formed between the African National Congress and the New National Party, and the Democratic Alliance weakened by a split, the KwaZulu-Natal legislature stands out as a beacon for coalition politics. Almost all the country’s political parties are represented in the provincial legislature and, irrespective of their status, have managed to influence positions or initiate government actions.
The ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party head a coalition government in KwaZulu-Natal. The opposition comprises the Democratic Party, the NNP, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and the United Democratic Movement.
You might find the DP or NNP provincial leader supporting positions taken either by the ANC or the IFP in order to keep the coalition intact. As a staff member of the legislature points out: “The need to maintain peace in a province with a long history of political violence involving both the ANC and the IFP prevails over everything else.”
But that does not mean the opposition in the province has become a lapdog. The DP, the NNP and even the ACDP have managed to raise issues of public overspending. All have been effectively brought to the attention of the provincial auditor-general who has initiated investigations in many instances.
Adversarial politics are not limited to the opposition. The most heated debates in Pietermaritzburg and Ulundi have often involved the ANC and the IFP often leaving the media wondering whether the partnership would last until the next day.
Off the floor of the House, there is always acknowledgement that the IFP will continually raise issues surrounding the strengthening of provincial powers or voice concern over the diminishing importance of traditional authorities.
Incompetence and allegations of corruption in the departments are dealt with by the still non-partisan public accounts committee chaired by the IFP’s Mike Tarr, who often criticises IFP ministers.
The legislature heard a graphic account of child abuse from Umkhonto weSizwe veteran and ANC MPL Bheki Cele and the heart-rending account of how former Inkatha “warlord” Thomas Shabalala lost his daughter to Aids. And therein lies the explanation of why politicians work together in the province.
The majority of MPLs have been exposed to the evils of political violence. They feel personally responsible for maintaining peace.
Thus the underlying concern in every action is to keep the province functioning and make it a success.