MKP ‘ready to govern’ KZN, moves to topple Premier Thami Ntuli through no confidence motion
Voting on the motion of no confidence against KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli will take place on December 15.
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The Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) says it is ready to govern as the party moves to topple the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thami Ntuli, through a motion of no confidence.
The party stated that it is prepared to govern, pointing out that fears regarding its governance of the province being a chaotic affair are unfounded. Party members asserted that within their ranks, they have many capable and ethical members who have not been involved in any acts of corruption.
However, the opposition argued that since its entrance into provincial politics, the MKP has been characterised by governing chaos.
The legislature members spoke during a debate at the provincial legislature yesterday, which covered a variety of matters, including reports on gender-based violence and the finances of the province, as well as the upcoming motion of no confidence in the Premier. The vote on the motion of no confidence is expected on December 15.
Speaking on their readiness to govern the province, the MKP members stated that the people of KwaZulu-Natal had chosen them to lead the province, and everyone knows that the seat of the Premier belongs to the MKP.
Every member of the MKP that spoke taunted the Premier, describing him as the outgoing Premier. They began the sitting by singing a song calling for Ntuli’s removal.
Member of the MKP, Mervyn Dirks, stated that the government of provincial unity has failed on many levels, including the management of finances in the province. He went on to imply that the type of government that will be in place when the MKP takes over the running of the province will include the work it will put in to boost the province's finances.
“There is this notion that Umkhonto we Sizwe is irresponsible, that when we take over there could be chaos in this province; that is very far from the truth. We have capable and very responsible people in the bench of Umkhonto we Sizwe. This narrative that people want to put out there that Umkhonto we Sizwe is not capable is not true.
“The members of Umkhonto we Sizwe have not held a position where they were implicated in acts of corruption; we have capable, responsible members in our ranks. The people of KZN, after the 15th, will give Umkhonto we Sizwe the opportunity to lead,” said Dirks.
Dr AC Biyela of the IFP questioned whether the MKP is capable of any sound governance strategy considering the way they have been running their affairs in the legislature.
“It is important to state that those who claim they have the capacity to run government are the very same people who in this particular legislature have shuffled and reshuffled, fired and appointed members in this legislature, and we do not know whether that is stability or chaos.
“The only political party that has shuffled chief whip every three months is the MKP. In fact, even before we started this term, they changed their entire list because the people who were supposed to be here are not the people who are here today.
“The very same people claiming stability are the same people championing chaos.”
DA leader and finance MEC Francois Rodger mocked the MKP claims that they are good at governance, saying, “It was quite a passionate speech; I was taken. My question is, where has MKP ever governed?”