/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The IFP in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Legislature has noted the nonsensical utterances made by the KZN Premier, Sihle Zikalala, during a two-day ANC PEC Lekgotla at Coastland Hotel in Durban. The Premier allegedly went off on a tangent and accused the IFP of exploiting the Zulu kingship for political gain.

This could not be further from the truth.

The Premier appears to be displaying the last kicks of a dying horse by trying to justify the ANC's shenanigans concerning the Royal Family. He is behaving in such a manner because the IFP, as the Official Opposition in KZN, serves as a watchdog to hold provincial government accountable. It is the IFP’s responsibility to ensure that government functions within the confines of the law. Recently, the IFP submitted more than 50 questions to the Office of the Premier demanding answers about, among others: the farm that is to be leased to one individual from the Zulu Royal Family; an official car from the Office of the Premier that is being used by the individual; as well as the employment of the same individual by the KZN COGTA Department, with no evidence that work is being done.

We believe that the Premier is bitter because the ANC lost many municipalities to the IFP during the 2021 Local Government Elections, right under his nose as ANC Provincial Chairperson. Possibly he fears the writing is on the wall and that he might not be re-elected during the next ANC conference.

The Premier has created a political mess by declaring that the province has suspended all government support to the Zulu Royal Family. However, in the dead of the night he is allegedly in cahoots with certain individuals in the Royal Family, some who are benefiting from the crumbs that are falling from the Premier's table.

It is very unfortunate that Premier Sihle Zikalala is spreading lies to the people of KwaZulu-Natal about the IFP. He should, instead, be telling the people that his party has failed and that it is time for the ANC to pack their bags and leave, before they destroy KwaZulu-Natal completely.

The toxicity of the ANC under Premier Sihle Zikalala has reached alarming levels. It is not difficult to see that the venom towards the IFP is simply because of the ANC’s insatiable appetite for power and self-aggrandisement. It is not because the ANC wants to use that power for the benefit of KZN.

The ANC has reached its sell-by date in KZN. This is evident in the SIU PPE Corruption Report and the State Capture Report, which laid bare corruption under the ANC.

The people of KZN must not lose sleep over the Premier’s propaganda; they know he is not a trusted leader. It appears that the ANC is hellbent on destroying all the gains - such as job opportunities and infrastructure - that were achieved during the 18 years of the erstwhile KwaZulu government and 10 years after 1994 when the IFP was in power.

The IFP calls upon the KZN Premier to stop obsessing over the IFP. He should rather hang his head in shame for his failure to address corruption in the province.

Issued by IFP Chief Whip in the KZN Legislature Blessed Gwala