KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli survived an MK Party motion of no confidence on Monday, after a chaotic sitting of the KZN Legislature in which the motion was ultimately defeated. The MK Party, which tabled the motion and holds 37 of the Legislature’s 80 seats, was supported by the EFF, which has two seats. However, the combined numbers were not enough to remove Ntuli.
In the build-up to the debate, the MK Party and EFF were banking on NFP’s sole MPL Mbali Shinga, and possibly two other government of provincial unity (GPU) MPLs from either the IFP, ANC or DA, voting in favour of the motion. However, during the debate, Shinga made it clear she would not support Ntuli’s removal. It then became apparent to MK Party MPLs that, apart from the two EFF MPLs, they did not have backing from any other MPLs from rival parties.
Speaker Nontembeko Boyce tried to settle the House but refused the request, saying a secret ballot went against the Legislature’s principles of “openness and transparency”. MK Party MPLs then chanted slogans and banged tables, disrupting proceedings. Boyce eventually called the vote, and the motion failed.
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After the motion was defeated, MK Party MPLs disrupted proceedings further and physically harassed Boyce, trying to prevent her from leaving the chamber. Addressing a large crowd of IFP supporters outside the provincial legislature, Ntuli — who is also the IFP’s provincial chairperson — said the events in the House showed what would happen if former president Jacob Zuma’s party were allowed to take over government in KwaZulu-Natal.
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