KwaZulu-Natal Premier Lionel Mtshali agreed on Monday to give back two seats in his provincial cabinet to the African National Congress (ANC) in a bid to end the latest row between the ANC and Mtshali’s Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
Speaking in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature in Pietermaritzburg, Mtshali announced a reshuffle of his cabinet, making the portfolio of public works and that of agriculture and environment available to the ANC.
Last year, Mtshali sacked the ANC’s Dumisani Makhaye and Mike Mabuyakhulu, who held the housing and economic affairs portfolios respectively.
Although the IFP offered the ANC two extra cabinet posts, it underscored that it will not restore two ministers dropped previously. This is the olive branch which the IFP is offering following the party’s loss of overall control of the legislature.
The premier made the announcement that he will be reshuffling the IFP’s Reverend Celani Mtetwa from the public works portfolio to be liaison between the provincial government and His Majesty, the King of the Zulus. This leaves a post vacant.
In addition he will be shifting the IFP’s Narend Singh from agriculture and conservation to education and culture. This leaves another post vacant.
This leaves the two posts open for ANC appointments. Following the recent defection period for politicians, the ANC — which is understood to be able to muster at least one seat more in the 80-seat legislature than the IFP coalition — has demanded the reinstatement of three ministers axed by the IFP in recent months.
The premier made the announcement a short time ago emphasising that he would not accept the reappointment of Gabriel Ndabandaba, former IFP education minister who crossed the floor to the ANC last month. He would also not accept the reappointment of firebrand ANC minister Dumisani Makhaye.
Makhaye was one of two ANC ministers dropped by the Premier late last year and replaced by two Democratic Alliance (DA) ministers, including provincial DA leader Roger Burrows.
The two ANC men were understood to have been dropped because of the IFP’s concern about the floor-crossing legislation passed by the national parliament. The IFP axed Ndabandaba after he switched parties.
There was no immediate response to the announcement — from either the DA or ANC — made in the KwaZulu Natal legislature on Monday morning. There was also no debate in the house.
Comment from the ANC provincial leader S’bu Ndebele and Burrows is expected later on Monday. – I-Net Bridge, Sapa