The ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Monday that it noted the weekend joint rally of its governing partner the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) — and said it would discuss it on a bilateral basis.
ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama was responding to the weekend rally in Soweto led by IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who is Home Affairs minister in the national cabinet, and DA leader Tony Leon.
Ngonyama said: “The African National Congress has noted the launch this weekend of an electoral ‘alliance’ between the Democratic Alliance and the Inkatha Freedom Party.”
“We note with interest that the defining feature of this relationship is to oppose the ANC and its ongoing programme of democratic transformation.”
The ANC holds the view that the relationship of cooperation between itself and the IFP at provincial and national level remains in place. The ANC and IFP share government in the national cabinet and in the province of KwaZulu Natal.
Ngonyama said: “The ANC continues to meet with the IFP on a bilateral basis and intends to make use of forthcoming meetings to discuss these recent developments with the IFP.” – I-Net Bridge