President Thabo Mbeki will interrupt his leave to go to the African National Congress’ headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday to discuss a looming legislative crisis in Kwazulu-Natal with the party’s leadership.
Presidential representative Bheki Khumalo said on Monday government was not, at this stage, considering invoking section 100 of the constitution if the Inkatha Freedom Party and its allies dissolved the KZN legislature on Wednesday.
Khumalo said: ”Government will seek clarity from the KZN goverment on what it aims to do.”
He said government could only invoke section 100, allowing central government to take over supervision of the provincial government, if there was a breakdown in government in the province.
Dissolving the KZN legislature — which would require elections to be held within 90 days — would not constitute such a breakdown, Khumalo said.
Analysts say the IFP wants to dissolve the legislature in a bid to block efforts by the ANC to push through new floor-crossing legislation which will give it effective control over the provincial government. – Sapa