IFP's decision to reinstate ANC in key KZN district backfires as local leader resigns
The IFP’s decision to return the ANC to power in the Umkhanyakude district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal has backfired with influential local leader Mdabe Mathenjwa announcing his resignation to protest against the decision.
Early in October, the IFP with the support of the EFF and NFP ousted ANC mayor Siphile Mdaka through a vote of no confidence. IFP councillor Comfort Khumalo was elected the new mayor with the NFP retaining the deputy mayorship, a position it had previously held under ANC leadership. Khumalo was forced to resign last month to make way for Mdaka’s return.
Speaking on Wednesday Mathenjwa, who is a branch chairperson under the Jozini Local Municipality, said he had on a number of occasions expressed his disapproval of what the party has done but this was ignored.
He said he had come to a point that he believed he needed to leave politics and the IFP because he could not understand why the party returned the ANC to power, despite the IFP being the majority party in the district municipality. He claimed that the party leadership took a decision without consulting local leadership.
“As far as I know, there is no Government of Local Unity in KwaZulu-Natal that involves the ANC, meaning in municipalities we govern with other parties and not with the ANC,” said Mathenjwa.
In a video clip currently trending on social media, Mathenjwa said he took the decision without external influence.
“Here is the decision I have taken without being influenced by anyone. Today, I am leaving politics. Today, I am leaving IFP. Anyone who wants my IFP T-shirts must come and take them,” said Mathenjwa.
Mathenjwa also took to social media two weeks ago, where he accused the party’s top leadership of selling out the people of Umkhayakude and he directed a torrent of abuse towards Mkhuleko Hlengwa, the party’s national spokesperson and the Deputy Minister of Transport.
This prompted the party to summon him to its head office in Durban last week to appear before its National Executive Committee – Mathenjwa did not arrive at the meeting, saying it was too short notice for him to travel.
In response, Hlengwa said Mathenjwa was expelled from the party last year.
According to a statement issued by the Jozini sub-regional leadership, Mathenjwa was expelled in January 2024, however, Mathenjwa dismissed this, saying a senior party leader denied any knowledge of his dismissal.
“After those rumours of my dismissal, I continued participating in all party programmes as chairperson and I have been in meetings with the national leadership. I asked for my letter of dismissal however, till today I have not received it so it’s a lie that I was dismissed last year. If that is true, why did they call me to appear at the NEC last week,” said Mathenjwa.
The ANC’s removal in Umkhanyakude soured the relationship with the IFP and threatened the future of the GPU. There were fears that the ANC would support the Umkhonto weSizwe Party-backed motion of no confidence against KZN Premier Thami Ntuli.
However the ANC was returned to power in Umkhanyakude and gave Ntuli its backing.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za