Pietermaritzburg is set to be the sole seat of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, despite opposition from the Inkatha Freedom Party which led a walkout from the legislature on Friday ahead of a crucial vote on the issue.
The IFP, with 34 out of 80 seats in the legislature, was the only party that objected to the resolution of a multi-party committee that Pietermaritzburg, and not its traditional stronghold Ulundi, should be the sole seat.
”We are grossly disappointed that events turned this way and that our partners in the coalition government decided to stab us in the back by pushing this thing through,” IFP national representative Musa Zondi told Sapa on Friday evening.
”It now introduces an entirely new political ball game (and) new tension… (it will) strain relations between the ANC and IFP in the province.”
KwaZulu-Natal premier Lionel Mtshali and IFP MPLs staged a walkout of the provincial legislature ahead of the vote.
The vote went ahead without the IFP. The African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, the New National Party and the Minority Front voted in favour of a resolution calling for Pietermaritzburg to be the only seat of the legislature.
The United Democratic Movement abstained from the vote, while the African Christian Democratic Party was not present. The resolution significantly avoided referring to Pietermaritzburg as the legislative capital, favouring the term ”seat” instead.
Sbu Ndebele, ANC provincial chairman and transport MEC, said the IFP’s actions had been childish. ”We are not happy because it shows immaturity when you know that the vote is going to be against you, and you then decide to boycott (the process),” he said.
The UDM, which supported the multi-party committee, decided to abstain at the last minute, apparently after a directive from its national office.
Mtshali in a 24-minute speech before the walkout accused the ANC — with which his party has a power-sharing arrangement in the province — of street politics.
Mtshali told MPLs that Ulundi would remain the seat of the executive, a move described by the NNP leader in the legislature, Tino Volker, as ”a decision in a fit of pique”.
Volker said the administrative staff in the legislature would be expected to move to Pietermaritzburg. This, however, did not mean that provincial government departments would follow suit. Some departments had their headquarters in Durban, others in Ulundi or Pietermaritzburg.
Volker said a potentially nasty situation had been contained by police when thousands of protesters gathered at the legislature to protest the resolution. They greet the news of the IFP walkout with jubilation.
The DA said in a statement the move would save taxpayers money and improve efficiency in provincial management. ”We trust that all political parties will now accept this decision, and work together towards making the legislature an efficient, active and vibrant work environment,” DA provincial leader Roger Burrows said.
The SA Communist Party also welcomed the outcome of the vote. ”This decision will certainly lead to major developments and greater speed in creating a better life for the people of this province both rural and urban,” an SACP statement read.
The IFP suggested in an advertisement on Thursday the issue be resolved through the provincial constitution, which ironically has been delayed by the IFP after it was overruled by the Constitutional Court, the Natal Witness reported.
Ulundi and Pietermaritzburg have until now served as alternate seats of the legislature, but the multi-party committee favours Pietermaritzburg in order to curtail costs. IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi reportedly issued a directive to his party leaders in the province to ensure there was no violence. – Sapa