The National Freedom Party is continuing to put pressure on KwaZulu-Natal’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) and calling its viability into question.
The party held a media briefing at the weekend where it stated that the future of the GPU as currently constituted was in doubt.
In a statement, the party said it wanted to address growing concerns about the state of governance in the KwaZulu-Natal GPU and clarify the National Freedom Party’s position within it.
The GPU coalition government includes the ANC, IFP, DA and NFP. In the media briefing on Saturday, NFP president Ivan Barnes confirmed that he will be meeting with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. The MK Party has brought a motion of no confidence in Premier Thami Ntuli of the IFP.
In the 80-seat chamber, the GPU has 41 seats, while the MKP and EFF combined reach 39. This means that if the NFP ditches the GPU, there will be 40 seats on each side which will lead to instability.
Barnes said, “The sole and sacred reason the National Freedom Party chose to be part of the Provincial Government of Unity was to fight corruption. Our people are tired of lies. They voted for change — not for themselves alone, but for their children and grandchildren.
He stated, “Guided by Madiba’s moral compass, we hold firmly to his words: ‘Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.’
He added, “Let us remember: the NFP itself was born from the womb of a woman, the late Zanele Ka-Magwaza-Msibi. She taught us compassion, honesty, and selflessness. Our decision to reconsider our participation in the current Government of Unity is grounded in those very principles — compassion, honesty, and selflessness.
“We know that every decision we make today will shape the lives of our children and grandchildren. Our conscience, rooted in Christian values and the teachings of our founder, does not allow us to be complicit in lies and the destruction of this province. We are the inheritors of her tireless work, and we cannot tarnish the untainted legacy of Zanele Ka-Magwaza-Msibi,” Barnes stated.
He raised questions about KwaZulu-Natal’s governance and said under the current leadership of Premier Ntuli, political accountability and honesty have diminished.
“The people of KwaZulu-Natal are asking us difficult questions — and sadly, we cannot answer them.”
THE MERCURY
