MK Party’s attempt to topple KZN government fails after chaos erupts

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s vote of no confidence against the KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thami Nthuli, failed after the party disrupted proceedings following the decision that the vote would not be a secret ballot.

This comes after the MK Party leader in the KZN legislature, Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza, submitted the motion of no confidence in October.

KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial legislature is tightly contested, with the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) coalition consisting of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), African National Congress (ANC), National Freedom Party (NFP), and Democratic Alliance (DA).

Together, they make up 41 of the 80 seats in the legislature, with the MK Party’s and Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) collective 39 seats in opposition. Nthuli is a member of the IFP.

The MK Party is part of a coalition with the Economic Freedom Fighters, which holds a combined 39 seats in the House.

This follows Jacob Zuma’s new political party garnering over 45% of the vote in the province during the 2024 general elections. It has 37 seats, while the EFF has two.

It was also unclear which coalition the NFP, which holds only one seat, would side with, given its harsh criticism of the GPU over the past two months.

NFP president Ivan Barnes said in October that, “regrettably, what we have witnessed since the formation of the GPU stands in sharp contrast to its ideals”.

He also said that “the MK Party, as the party that received the largest number of votes in the province, must be allowed to provide leadership”.

However, the NFP ultimately decided to stand with the GPU.

On the day of the vote, after members of the provincial legislature had debated Nthuli’s successes, or lack thereof, over the past 18 months, the House’s Speaker, Nontembeko Boyce, said that she and her presiding officers had decided on an open-ballot vote.

This involves members who support the motion standing, rather than their identities being kept anonymous.

However, once Boyce said that MPLs would be voting using an open ballot, she was immediately met with resistance from members of the MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters, who rejected her decision.

When Boyce announced that the voting would begin and that those in favour of the motion should stand, MK Party and EFF members stood up and gathered in the middle of the House.

This continued for over half an hour, with Boyce repeatedly calling on members who were disrupting proceedings to take their seats so that the House could proceed with voting.

She eventually declared that the motion of no confidence against Nthuli had failed.

“Thank you, honourable members. The motion has failed. Honourable Nthuli remains the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.”

Police were then called to remove members who were disrupting the proceedings, resulting in scuffles between law enforcement and several representatives of the MK Party.

Following the outcome, the DA said that “it affirms that most representatives in the Legislature recognise that KwaZulu-Natal cannot afford political chaos, disruption, or opportunistic power plays”.

“Today’s outcome also sends a strong message that the Legislature will not be used as a platform for destabilisation or political theatrics at the expense of the province’s future.”

The MK Party has since announced that it has opened a case of intimidation and violence against members of the South African Police Service in Pietermaritzburg.

“These threats arose following the MK Party’s lawful and democratic call for the removal of the IFP’s KwaZulu-Natal Premier. Let it be stated unequivocally: the MK Party will not be cowed by intimidation, threats, or violence,” it said.

It has yet to issue a statement about the failed motion of no confidence.