A meeting between the leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) ANC on Tuesday has left many political observers with plenty of questions, but should really come as no surprise.
EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu shared pictures of himself, party secretary-general Marshall Dlamini, and the ANC’s Siboniso Duma (provincial chair) and Bheki Mtolo (provincial secretary) during a meeting in KZN.
The meeting in question comes barely weeks after newly-elected ANC KZN leadership visited former president Jacob Zuma at his Nkandla home.
While it is not clear what was discussed during the meeting, political analyst Piet Croucamp believes one of the issues on the agenda may have been the possibility of the two parties going into a coalition agreement after the much-anticipated 2024 polls.
Speaking to The Citizen, Croucamp said KZN was one of the provinces where the ANC has a significant chance of losing the absolute majority and ending up with a relative majority.
This would put them in the position of needing a coalition partner if they wish to remain in power.
“The EFF might make a feasible political partner there like in any other part of South Africa,” said Croucamp. “In fact, they are actively pursuing relations with other parties to ensure that if they end up with 46%, 45% of the vote, that they can go into coalition with smaller parties.
He said KZN has always been a rogue province. “We shouldn’t make the mistake of saying that it is the ANC currently pursuing relations with the EFF with the hope of eventually forming a coalition government with them. It’s KZN doing that.”
It is not the first time the EFF leadership visits KZN to meet with prominent figures in the governing party. Last year, EFF leader Julius Malema visited Zuma at his Nkandla homestead.
Another political analyst, Ntsikelelo Breakfast, is of the view that the red berets tend to gravitate more towards the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction of the ANC.
According to Breakfast, the fact that the EFF and the ANC’s RET faction have a common enemy in President Cyril Ramaphosa makes an alliance between the two groupings much easier to contemplate.
“KZN is a stronghold of the ANC’s RET, and even the recent developments around Ramaphosa calling for him to resign, were pioneered in KZN.
“Ramaphosa’s challenge is that he was given a mandate to unify the ANC,” he said. With the ANC’s national elective conference fast approaching, Breakfast said Ramaphosa should be worried as it is not a given that he will be re-elected.
It is also not clear who KZN is supporting to contest the party’s presidency in December, as there are branches who support Dlamini-Zuma, while others back former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
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