KZN’s already fragile Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) is teetering on the edge, as political parties scramble to secure the National Freedom Party (NFP) and prevent a collapse that could hand decisive power to the MK Party (MKP).

The uncertainty was triggered last Friday when the NFP announced it was withdrawing from the GPU, sending shockwaves through a coalition that has struggled to find its footing since it was formed.

The move threatens either the outright collapse of the unity government or a dramatic realignment that could see rival parties seize control of the provincial legislature.

In an urgent bid to stabilise the situation, coalition partners have begun lining up to meet the NFP.

The ANC was the first to act, formally requesting talks shortly after the withdrawal announcement.

In a letter seen by IOL, ANC provincial task team coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu warned that the NFP’s decision would have “far-reaching consequences” for the province, both immediately and in the long term.

After several days of silence, the NFP has now agreed to meet with the ANC later this week, signalling that the door has not yet fully closed on the troubled coalition.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has also entered the fray.

DA provincial chairperson, Dean Macpherson, wrote to the NFP on Tuesday, appealing for dialogue to prevent what he described as the “total collapse” of the GPU.

He stressed that political instability would come at a cost to ordinary residents who have endured years of erratic governance and service delivery failures.

“We still regard the NFP as partners for progress in KZN,” Macpherson said, adding that the DA wanted clarity on concerns raised publicly by NFP president Ivan Barnes and to seek solutions within the existing coalition framework.

The GPU, formed without the MK Party, has delivered mixed results at best.

While leaders have promoted the arrangement as a stabilising force, internal tensions, policy paralysis, and persistent service delivery backlogs have undermined public confidence.

For many communities, particularly the poor and unemployed, the promises of change—most notably from the ANC—have translated into continued hardship, dependency, and deepening frustration.

Sensing an opportunity, the MKP has also written to the NFP, proposing talks aimed at forging a new alliance with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Such a block would command 40 of the 80 seats in the provincial legislature, enough to unseat the current IFP-ANC-DA coalition.

MKP has 37 seats in the provincial legislature, making it the largest party in the province following the May 2024 general elections.

This is a developing story.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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