The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has pledged to take over KwaZulu-Natal's government through a new motion of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli, anticipating support from the EFF and NFP. The party claims it will address key issues like unemployment, poverty, crime, and service delivery failures. This comes amid a history of political instability in the province since 1994.
KwaZulu-Natal has experienced frequent changes in leadership since democracy began in 1994, with 10 premiers in three decades, often due to internal party conflicts between the ANC and IFP. The current Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), led by IFP's Thami Ntuli, includes the ANC, DA, and NFP's Mbali Shinga, holding 41 seats in the 80-seat legislature after the 2024 elections where MK won 37 seats but was sidelined.
In December 2025, MK's motion of no confidence against Ntuli failed when Shinga voted with the GPU, despite NFP's subsequent exit from the coalition. Now, MK chief whip Bonginkosi Mngadi asserts the party is 'ready to govern' and plans another attempt, backed by the EFF's two seats and NFP support. 'The legitimate leadership of the NFP has already said they want to work with MKP because it is the majority party in KZN,' Mngadi said.
MK prioritizes tackling unemployment, poverty, crime, water shortages, and incomplete infrastructure, citing Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke's 2025 report that only seven of 54 municipalities achieved clean audits, with 90% of budgets spent unlawfully in 2023/24. The party also vows to empower traditional leaders, or Amakhosi, criticizing unfulfilled GPU promises like installing cameras in traditional courts.
Opponents dismiss these efforts. IFP's Blessed Gwala called it a 'desperate attempt' by 'looters and enablers of State Capture,' while DA's Martin Meyer noted improvements under the GPU, accusing MK of corruption and constitutional disdain. MK's Tony Yengeni confirmed collaboration with NFP and EFF for the new motion, amid tensions ahead of 2026 local elections.
Historical precedents, from IFP's Frank Mdlalose's dismissal to ANC's Sihle Zikalala's ousting in 2022, suggest any MK-led government would face similar instability, as the province struggles with governance turnover.
