<\/p>\n
Durban – The EFF has revealed that it has entered into a \u201cworking relationship\u201d with the ANC in eThekwini while bilateral talks for a more formal relationship are under way.<\/p>\n
EFF provincial leader Mongezi Twala said they were in a working relationship with the ANC, albeit an informal arrangement while talks were ongoing. <\/p>\n
But he revealed that one of the conditions that would pave the way for a formal working relationship with the ANC, was the removal of eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda from the post.<\/p>\n
In an interview with The Mercury yesterday, he said: \u201cYes, we are working with the ANC. We want to block the re-emergence of the \u2018establishment\u2019, the partnership between the DA and the IFP.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to see the back of that \u2018establishment\u2019. We have decided we should work with these ones (ANC) as corrupt as they are, and we tell them to their faces they are corrupt,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rumours of an arrangement between the two parties have been circulating for some time and gained momentum after the EFF cut ties with the IFP, ending their coalitions in municipalities they were governing together in KZN.<\/p>\n
The arrangement became more apparent when the EFF voted with the ANC on key issues last Friday in an eThekwini council meeting, including on the appointment of a deputy mayor and against a motion of no confidence in Kaunda. In December last year, EFF councillors protested during a council meeting, calling for Kaunda to be axed.<\/p>\n
On Monday, the party had claimed it voted against the motion on Kaunda because the smaller parties had been \u201carrogant\u201d and not consulted it on their plans to oust Kaunda.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to make changes in the city but we will do this on our own time,\u201d said Twala.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are bilateral talks happening with the ANC and we have made it clear that as part of the condition of a formal relationship, Kaunda must be removed as the mayor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need credible people in that post. That man (Kaunda) lacks vision and we have seen the city decay under him. We want credible people to lead the city that will deliver services to the community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Twala said the ANC had not shown any indication of wanting to accede to this demand but the bilateral talks were still ongoing.<\/p>\n
An ANC councillor in eThekwini, who did not want to be named because coalition talks are being handled by the province, said for the moment, the arrangement with the EFF was on an issue-by-issue basis. The official said the relationship with the smaller parties, which was established after the local government elections, would remain in place even if the ANC and the EFF reached an agreement.<\/p>\n
Asked about the ANC and EFF relationship, ADeC councillor Visvin Reddy, who is a member of the bloc of smaller parties, said as far as they were aware, there was no relationship between the ANC and the EFF.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have had bilaterals with the ANC and we have put up certain conditions in the interests of the citizens of Durban. We will be watching developments very closely in the next few months.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople now assume there is a relationship between the EFF and ANC based on one vote. We vote on principles and as ADeC we have voted against the ANC on a number of issues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
ANC spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said they were working not only with the EFF but with the other smaller parties in the council.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed, we are in constant negotiations with the EFF and as soon as agreements are reached we will make an announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the ANC still had full confidence in Kaunda.<\/p>\n
THE MERCURY<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Durban – The EFF has revealed that it has entered into a \u201cworking relationship\u201d with the ANC in eThekwini while bilateral talks for a more formal relationship are under way. EFF provincial leader Mongezi Twala said they were in a working relationship with the ANC, albeit an informal arrangement while talks were ongoing. But he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2475,3807,3963,381,798],"class_list":["post-167889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-politics","tag-anc","tag-eff","tag-kzn","tag-relationship","tag-working"],"yoast_head":"\n