The reshuffle of the provincial cabinet by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) KwaZulu Natal Premier Lionel Mtshali was described this afternoon by the African National Congress (ANC) as “unilateral”.
The ANC loses two of its four posts in the cabinet. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been offered the two posts. Provincial DA leader Roger Burrows, until now leader of the opposition in the legislature, will take up the post of Economic Development and Tourism from ANC member Mike Mabuyakhulu.
DA MPL Reverend Wilson Ngcobo will take over from ANC firebrand Dumisani Makhaye, Burrows said in a statement.
In response Mtholephi Mthimkhulu, ANC provincial representative, said a detailed response would be issued over the weekend but he described Mtshali’s action as a unilateral reshuffling. “It is nothing else but an act by Mtshali to dig his political grave”.
The reason, he said, was that the coalition government of the IFP and ANC “is part of the bigger political cooperation agreement between the ANC and the IFP”.
While he did not go into detail, he may have been referring to the agreement that the IFP is part of the national government. IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi is national Home Affairs Minister, while Ben Skozana is national Correctional Services Minister and former KwaZulu Natal premier Ben Ngubane is Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Minister.
National IFP representative Rev Musa Keith Zondi is deputy Public Works Minister and Joe Mathews is deputy Safety and Security Minister.
The ANC had four seats in the provincial government until the axing of the two today. The others are provincial leader S’bu Ndebele, who is transport MEC,
and Zweli Mkhize, who is health MEC. It is not certain if they will now remain in cabinet.
Mthimkhulu said they would not be commenting on this issue at this stage.
The move by the IFP comes the wake of months of tension over defection legislation which threatened to topple the provincial government. Five members
of the legislature (two from the IFP, two from the DA, and one from the UDM) crossed to the ANC.
Subsequent to court action they have lost their seats in the legislature, saving the IFP-led government. – I-Net Bridge