MKP MPL Siphiwe Moyo says his party would table a new motion of vote of no confidence against KwaZulu-Natal Cabinet before June.
Image: KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
The KwaZulu-Natal Cabinet is not out of the woods as the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) wants to table another motion of no confidence against it.
The former president Jacob Zuma-led party tabled the first motion against the Cabinet in December, but it fell flat as the majority of the MPLs voted against it.
The MKP, which had the backing of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), had placed its hope on the National Freedom Party’s (NFP) only seat to get numbers to vote in favour of the motion.
However, the NFP’s only MPL, Mbali Shinga, who is the Social Development MEC in the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), voted against it.
Shinga is currently facing disciplinary action for defying the party's instruction to step out of the GPU and to also vote for the motion. If she is found guilty, her membership in the party could be terminated.
The NFP has in the past written a letter to the Speaker of the provincial legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, requesting Shinga’s removal from the MEC position, but Boyce had rejected the request, saying Shinga's suspension from her party did not meet the constitutional and legal threshold for removal as she's still a member of the party.
Soon after Premier Thami Ntuli, who is also the IFP chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal, had finished delivering his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, MKP MPL Siphiwe Moyo expressed the party's dissatisfaction with the performance of Ntuli and MECs.
He said the SOPA was another reason why the MKP would call for another vote of no confidence.
“We are going to remove him, watch the space,” said Moyo.
He described Ntuli’s mentioning of the July 2021 civil unrest in the SOPA as a direct attack on the MKP and Zuma.
He said Shinga’s continuation in the Cabinet was a problem that should be resolved by the NFP.
“The NFP must solve its problem because we cannot be part of the NFP problem.
“You may think that we depend on the NFP to win this vote of no confidence, but we will win this with or without the NFP.
“We cannot bank on people who are still having problems, but we are going to remove the premier probably before June,” he said.
Former ANC provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma, who is the Transport and Human Settlements MEC, did not deny that another vote of no confidence might dissolve the Cabinet.
“It is something that is beyond our control, but when we have a chance, we must deliver.
“It does not bother us because it is a reality of democracy that was brought in by the ANC, which allows the diversity of voices,” said Duma.
Ntuli had, late last year, after the failure of the first MKP motion, warned of the consequences of a successful vote of no confidence, which he said would be detrimental to the people of the province.
“A successful vote of no confidence means that the entire executive will have to resign,” said Ntuli.
He had said the NFP’s decision to withdraw from the Cabinet was a call for talks.
NFP Provincial Deputy Secretary Zithembe Ngobese said the talks among parties in the provincial legislature were in full swing.
“There are no agreements nor commitments from either side. The NFP continues to be out of the GPU; our position still stands: we are on opposing benches.
“After all these dialogues are complete, the NFP will call a media briefing to formally announce its position on the GPU status and the way forward,” said Ngobese.
EFF Provincial Spokesperson Chris Msibi said his party would continue to support the MKP’s motion.
“Service delivery is not happening in KZN because of the GPU's incompetence. The ANC, DA, and IFP are busy talking to the NFP to convince them to stay (in the Cabinet).
“They won't talk to the EFF because they all declared us enemy number one. We are supporting the MKP motion; the MKP must consolidate numbers. The motion will succeed if numbers are consolidated,” said Msibi.
He said the law states that another motion should be tabled three months after the previous one had failed.
The EFF and MKP are demanding that the next vote on the motion should be conducted in a secret ballot.
“The problem is that when there is an open vote, they (ANC and IFP MPLs) do not have a choice, but there are many ANC and IFP MPLs who have told us that they are not happy with the GNU,” said Msibi.
Msibi called on the NFP to finalise its disciplinary actions against Shinga.
“The MKP must work with the NFP to solve Shinga’s issue because Shinga is occupying the NFP seat without its will.
“You cannot, while belonging to an organisation and the organisation saying go and vote like this, and you vote otherwise, and it becomes a normal day for you because it should be a rainy day,” said Msibi.
DA MPL Dr Imran Keeka likened the MKP to vultures who are circling the GPU, hoping it would die and feed on its carcass.
“Unfortunately for them, the GPU remains steadfast and strong. They may bring a motion of no confidence repeatedly, and they will be defeated repeatedly.
“They should instead focus on the real job at hand - serving the people of KZN with the same enthusiasm and commitment shown by the rock-solid GPU.
“The DA is committed to keeping them out of the halls of power for good reason,” said Keeka.
IFP MPL Dr Andile Biyela described the motion of no confidence as a serious constitutional instrument that should only be applied in substantive governance failures.
“Not from pre-announced political timelines. When a motion is scheduled in advance, absent any new facts or events, it raises legitimate questions about whether the intention is accountability or political theatre.
“The IFP remains committed to stability and responsible governance within the GPU. Should any motion be tabled, we will assess it strictly on its merits,” said Biyela.
bongani.hans@inl.co.za