Francois Rodgers - The battle for KZN amid “sinister power grab”…

Tomorrow, The National Freedom Party (NFP) plans to formally announce its withdrawal from the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government of Unity. In his reaction, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) leader in the province, Francois Rodgers, tells Chris Steyn: “…if the NFP are all about service delivery…and building a province, why would they take this particular approach? There seems to be something more sinister behind it… We rather see a grabbing of power.” Should the NFP now form a coalition with former President Jacob Zuma’s MKP and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), they would have 40 seats and cause a hung legislature. “So if the MKP and the EFF and the NFP decided they weren't going to support budgets or anything, you wouldn't be able to pass budgets. And ultimately…you’d get to a point where they'd have to have…fresh elections…” In a bid to prevent this, the DA is currently engaging with “all of our existing partners”, the African National Congress (ANC), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), as well as the NFP. As for the rumour that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla resigned as an MP because she covets a starring role in KZN, Rodgers says: “…the MK party is a bit of an Nkandla Stokvel that looks after family members. So I wouldn't be surprised if this was the ultimate goal… we will do everything in our power as the Democratic Alliance to ensure that the fiscus is protected from any further looting as we've seen in the past by Jacob Zuma.”.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.Edited transcript of the interview.Chris Steyn (00:01.639)The National Freedom Party has announced its withdrawal from the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government of Unity. With me is the Democratic Alliance's leader in the province, Francois Rodgers. Welcome, Francois.Francois Rodgers (00:16.92)Good morning Chris and good morning to the viewers.Chris Steyn (00:19.483)What has been happening behind the scenes?Francois Rodgers (00:23.106)Well, we were notified, I think it was yesterday, that the NFP had decided that they were going to withdraw from the Government of Provincial Unity. Well, that didn't come as a surprise because as we know, on the 15th of December, they voted in favour of a Motion of No confidence against the Premier. So it was absolutely no surprise that this was to happen. Obviously, you know, what what we... The NFP can make its own decision, it's a political organisation and it has that right. What we don't understand what's unfolding now is the fact that, you know, this appears to be aimed at Mbali Shinga and if one looks at her performance in the last year and a half, she's one of the better performing members of the executive. She's taken… Social Development, the Department of Social Development, which was in deep trouble in the previous administration, and she's turned it around. She's appointed the right people and, you know, she's taken the right approach. And it's not just me saying that, it's the Auditor General's outcomes that speaks volume. you know. Then you wonder if the NFP are all about service delivery, you know, and building a province, why they would take this particular approach. There seems to be something more sinister behind it. and perhaps Barnes has political aspirations. But that's just me speculating.Chris Steyn (01:56.711)This must be good news for former President Jacob Zuma's MKP. Now, if the National Freedom Party now formed a coalition with MKP and the Economic Freedom Fighters, they would have 40 seats. Is that correct?Francois Rodgers (02:13.102)Correct. So you would have a hung provincial legislature. There's 80 seats in the legislature. So that would be 40 and 40. So if the MKP and the EFF and the NFP decided they weren't going to support budgets or anything, you wouldn't be able to pass budgets. And ultimately, what would happen, you'd get to a point where they'd have to have elections, call elections, fresh elections in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.Chris Steyn (02:44.942)With 40-40 and no obvious kingmaker in sight. What are your plans?Francois Rodgers (02:53.228)Well, look at this stage, we're engaging with all of our existing partners. That would be the African National Congress, the IFP, and also the NFP. We also need to keep talking and understanding what exactly are the challenges. Is it around service delivery? Is it around these so-called failures of the premier of KwaZulu-Natal? We certainly don't see any justification in that. We rather see a grabbing of power. But it's something that we need to discuss with like-minded parties in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Because ultimately what we want to do as a partner in the GPU is to ensure stability in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. We have a dreadful history of political intolerance. And that's something we need to avoid. And it's going to take level heads, maturity, and open and frank discussions. And that's what we're busy doing with our existing partners at the moment.Chris Steyn (03:53.799)The NFP will announce it formally tomorrow and outline its reasons publicly. Have they given you any formal communication?Francois Rodgers (04:06.751)No, none whatsoever. And I don't believe that they compelled to give us those particular reasons. So as I said, know, we, I just find it very strange that they have one of the top performing members of their party in the provincial executive and they want to remove her. Then you have to ask yourself, what exactly is the purpose behind this? But perhaps tomorrow all will be revealed. And as I say, in the meantime, we keep discussing and we keep open doors with all the role players involved.Chris Steyn (04:41.021)Well thanks to her, that Motion of No Confidence failed. Is this punishment?Francois Rodgers (04:49.861)Look, I wouldn't like to speculate on behalf of the NFP, but I can tell you from my experience with Mbali Shinga, both on the opposition benches, because I did serve with her in the opposition benches and in government. She's an extremely principled woman and very courageous. And I think what she did on the 15th of December was extremely courageous. And again, you know, if this is...some form of retribution or punishment for that decision, you have to ask yourself why, when in fact she's doing an admirable job in the position as MEC of Social Development.Chris Steyn (05:31.879)Francois, there is a rumour that former president Jacob Zuma's daughter Duduzile's resignation as an MP from Parliament was in anticipation of ambitions that she has for a role in the provincial government. Have you heard that rumour?Francois Rodgers (05:52.696)Look, I've heard the rumour. One doesn't really want to engage on speculation and rumours. But at the end of the day, we've got to understand that the MK party is a bit of an Nkandla Stokvel that looks after family members. So I wouldn't be surprised if this was the ultimate goal.Chris Steyn (06:18.045)Okay, so what are you going to do now to prevent a hung Provincial Government of Unity? Apart from what can you do?Francois Rodgers (06:26.189)Well, as I said. As I said. We can try and play the centralist and the leadership role that the DA has always believed and continue to engage the political role players. I think that's the most important thing. We must also remember that if there's a Motion of No Confidence, it's not going to happen overnight. There is a process that has to unfold. You also just cannot summarily table another Motion of No confidence. I think from my recollection, there's six months have to pass. So this gives us time to sit, reflect, engage, and come up with what we believe from all sides is the most important and effective solution for the people of KwaZulu Natal.Chris Steyn (07:23.389)So what assurances can you give the public now? There are people who are worried that President Jacob Zuma's party will be running KZN and get its hands on its huge budget. What is that budget?Francois Rodgers (07:37.198)160 billion rand. It's an enormous amount of money and I'm afraid it's not enough. We're struggling with education, we're struggling with health because in fact the situation we find ourselves in, the cut in our equitable share, we must never forget, this comes about because of the nine wasted years when Jacob Zuma was president. This comes about when Jacob Zuma continued to bail out ESKOM, continued to bail out Sate-owned entities and it left…Francois Rodgers (08:06.753)…the national fiscus with a seven trillion rand debt. This is still the hangover from Zuma's nine years. So we will do everything in our power as the Democratic Alliance to ensure that the fiscus is protected from any further looting as we've seen in the past by Jacob Zuma.Chris Steyn (08:31.695)What feedback have you been getting from your partners in the coalition, the African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party to this development?Francois Rodgers (08:41.361)I, yesterday, spent quite a bit of time on the telephone with both the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal and …. from the African National Congress. the channels of communication are open. We're all positive that we can find a solution. And that includes engaging the National Freedom Party on a constructive way forward.Chris Steyn (09:05.361)Thank you very much. Is there anything else you'd like to say to your province, the citizens of your province?Francois Rodgers (09:13.065)No, think Chris at this stage, you know, just calm heads. I think the next week or so and in the coming months, time will tell and I'm sure we will have a positive outcome. We remain positive. There's no need to panic. And as long as we've got calm, level heads and we put the interests of the province ahead of that of party politics, we'll come up with the right solution.Chris Steyn (09:40.839)Thank you. That was the Democratic Alliance's provincial leader, KZN provincial leader, Francois Rodgers, speaking to BizNews. I'm Chris Steyn.Chris Steyn (09:52.049)Thank you, Francois.

Francois Rodgers - The battle for KZN amid “sinister power grab”…

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