'We will not tolerate corruption': IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa on coalitions in KZN

Ready to govern is slowly becoming ready to co-govern in many municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal as political parties prepare themselves for the reality of coalition governance. 

The IFP, according to its leader Velenkosini Hlabisa, is projecting victory in at least 22 municipalities in the province, and while the picture of the distribution of votes across the province is slowly becoming clearer, coalitions may be the future. 

“Generally we are open but there are key issues like a party that promotes racism, under no circumstances will we work together,” said Hlabisa. “A party that would want us to compromise our stance when it comes to corruption, we would rather break that coalition, we are not going to tolerate anything that is corrupt. Even if we are in a coalition we will not condone that,” said Hlabisa. 

The IFP leader said the party would approach coalitions case-by-case and it was willing to work with any political party in SA. 

The IFP, as of Wednesday afternoon, remained dominant in the north of the province, however the party has also made significant inroads in ANC strongholds in the south of KZN as well.

Hlabisa said they had put in the hard work over the years. 

“The IFP has done the groundwork. On the south coast I physically started working in 2012, where it was really difficult to have even 50 people in an IFP meeting. Throughout these elections we knew that we were going to do well in the south coast because of the work that we had put in,” Hlabisa explained. 

In KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP stood at 25.63% of the share of votes, according to the IEC. The party was second to the ANC which had secured 42.3% of votes counted.

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