The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has criticised the MK Party for its handling and ultimate rejection of the Division of Revenue (DORA) Bill, which was passed during a special sitting of the KZN Legislature on Tuesday.

The ANC described the bill as vital for the continued delivery of essential services such as healthcare, education, housing, and social development.

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Wednesday passed the Division of Revenue Bill with 65 members voting in favour, six against, and no abstentions. 

The vote exposed a growing rift within the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), as five of its MPLs voted against the bill, defying their newly appointed Chief Whip, Bonginkosi Mngadi, who supported it.

The bill, which outlines how national revenue will be shared among all spheres of government for the 2025/26 financial year, was debated during a virtual special sitting presided over by KZN Legislature Speaker, Nontembeko Boyce.

While Mngadi affirmed MKP’s support for transparency and accountability by backing the bill, former Chief Whip Mervyn Dirks voted against it, aligning with the party’s national stance and causing visible confusion within the MKP ranks.

ANC KZN spokesperson Fanie Sibisi welcomed the support from the majority of Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs), stating, “The ANC salutes the 65 Members of the Provincial Legislature who voted in favour of the Bill, putting the needs of the people above petty politics. Their vote is a vote for stable governance, uninterrupted services, and continued development across KwaZulu-Natal.”

Sibisi condemned the MK Party’s disjointed approach to the bill, particularly the five members who voted against it alongside one EFF MPL.

“Their failure to take a clear and unified stance and the decision by five of their members to vote against the Bill was not only reckless, but a betrayal of the very people who sent them to the Legislature,” he said.

“This was not just a vote against a budget, it was a vote against progress, against the poor, and against working-class families who rely on government support every day.”

He went on to describe the MK Party as “a populist organisation with no policies, no discipline, and no respect for democratic responsibility,” accusing it of prioritising internal chaos over public service.

Sibisi said: ”What KwaZulu-Natal witnessed today was a party that is confused, unprepared, and uninterested in serving the very communities they claim to represent. 

Moreover, he noted that their chaotic behaviour in the Legislature confirms what many South Africans are already beginning to see, that voting for MKP was a costly mistake. 

“While they play politics with people’s lives, the ANC continues to lead with discipline, experience, and a deep understanding of what governance requires,” Sibisi said.

”The ANC in KZN remains committed to building a province that works for all, especially the most vulnerable. As the leader of society, the ANC will continue to partner with all parties whose interest is to protect the gains of our democracy, defend service delivery, and ensure that resources are channelled where they are needed most, to the people.”

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in KZN also criticised the MK Party, pointing to public divisions and internal confusion during the sitting.

DA KZN spokesperson on Finance, Tim Brauteseth, said the day “exposed deep divisions within the MK Party and raised serious concerns for the people of this province.”

According to Brauteseth, the session started smoothly, with MKP MPL Slindile Seme backing the bill and even aligning with the DA’s fiscal principles.

“The first MKP speaker, Slindile Seme, supported the Bill and even agreed with the DA’s financial governance principles,” he said.

But confusion followed when Dirks launched a scathing attack on the bill, declaring that the MKP rejected it “with the contempt it deserved.” This directly contradicted Seme’s earlier remarks and sowed chaos in the party’s ranks.

Brauteseth detailed how MKP’s newly appointed Chief Whip Mngadi, “the umpteenth individual in this role in one year,” as he put it, tried to reverse course by announcing support for the bill. However, when the Speaker allowed members to vote individually, Dirks led a group of MKP MPLs in voting against it.

“This level of confusion within the ranks of KZN’s main opposition party is both concerning and revealing,” Brauteseth said.

“It reveals that there is no effective opposition in the KZN Legislature. Instead, it is the DA that can continue to claim this role, by holding the GPU to account from within.”

He added that the incident demonstrated the dangers of entrusting the MKP with governance.

“Today’s events have exposed that the concept of MKP governing KZN would be a farce and disastrous for the people of our province,” he said. “Not for the first time, the claim that the DA within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) has rescued our province, has been proven true.”

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za 

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