DA threatens to pull out of agreement with IFP amid corruption concerns

The two parties have co-operation agreements in several municipalities, including Newcastle Municipality and uThukela District Municipality — both of which have come under increasing scrutiny over governance failures and financial mismanagement. DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers confirmed that the party had formally written to the IFP expressing grave concern about the state of affairs in municipalities under its leadership. The DA has made it clear to the IFP that should they fail to table a clear turnaround strategy, the DA will not support IFP budgets in all eight municipalities where we have a co-operation agreement.

The warning comes against the backdrop of mounting challenges in key IFP municipalities. In uThukela District Municipality, the situation has deteriorated further, with a court granting a creditor’s application to freeze the municipality’s bank accounts after it failed to meet its financial obligations. The crisis has exposed deep fractures within the municipality’s leadership, with calls mounting for accountability at senior management level. Despite pressure from the DA, no action has yet been taken against uThukela district municipal manager Langelihle Jili, whose leadership has come under sustained criticism.