Tensions in KwaZulu-Natal eased on Wednesday when premier Lionel Mtshali agreed to accept a ”disrespectful” African National Congress MEC back into his cabinet.
Dumisani Makhaye will take on the agriculture portfolio, while his party colleague Mike Mabuyakhulu will assume responsibility for public works.
This followed talks between Mtshali and ANC provincial leader S’bu Ndebele on Wednesday morning, and a reported apology in the provincial legislature.
”The matter between the parties is very cordial and the atmosphere is very good, and there is no problem at all,” Velaphi Ndlovu, caucus chairman of Mtshali’s Inkatha Freedom Party, said after the legislature adjourned for the Easter weekend.
Last year, Mtshali sacked Makhaye and Mabuyakhulu, who held the housing and economic affairs portfolios respectively, and replaced them with Democratic Alliance nominees.
The ANC demanded that Mtshali reinstate the pair along with former education MEC Gabriel Ndabandaba who defected from the IFP to the ANC last month.
This week the premier offered the ANC the portfolios of public works and of agriculture, but said he would not accept Makhaye, as he had been ”disrespectful and disruptive, to the point of likening me to Adolf Hitler and the devil in his parliamentary address”.
He would also not accept Ndabandaba.
Ndlovu said on Wednesday that Ndebele had apologised in the legislature on Makhaye’s behalf for the Hitler comment, and promised to work at leader-to-leader level on any problems that arose in future.
ANC provincial representative Mtholephi Mthimkhulu said the ANC had made it clear it would not allow the premier or the IFP to dictate who was acceptable as an MEC and who was not.
”The premier backed down, acted in an honourable way, and accepted that position,” Mthimkhulu said. ”The leaders then agreed that talks (between the two parties) would be reopened.
”This is what we have been consistently and responsibly urging and fighting for. We are delighted. Sanity has now prevailed: we are now back on track.”
The ”oustanding issues” that would be addressed in resumed talks between the parties included the issue of a fifth ANC MEC in the 10-member cabinet, and the question of ”balancing the workload” in departments and the legislature.
These would all be discussed ”in a very decent atmosphere where all parties are negotiating with respect”.
Ndebele and Zweli Mkhize are the other two ANC members of Mtshali’s executive, holding the transport and health portfolios respectively.
Following the recent floor crossings, the ANC and a number of parties that have tended to side with it, have 40 seats in the 80-member house, against the 38 held by the IFP-DA partnership.
The United Democratic Movement and the African Christian Democratic Party each have a seat. – Sapa