CHAOS ERUPTS: MKP AND EFF TANK NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE AGAINST KZN PREMIER NTULI

Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli.

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief, The Azanian

KwaZulu-Natal's provincial legislature descended into chaos today as the uMkhonto weSizwe (MKP) Party's motion of no confidence against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli failed amidst disruptions and scuffles between MKP and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members and police officers.

The motion, tabled by the MKP, aimed to determine whether Ntuli would retain his position as premier. However, the vote was repeatedly disrupted by MKP and EFF members demanding a secret ballot. Speaker Nontembeko Boyce declared the motion failed after several attempts to conduct the vote were thwarted by the disruptions.

Chaotic scenes erupted as MKP and EFF members clashed with police, with one MKP member, Ntombi Zama Cele, collapsing during the commotion and being treated by paramedics. Water bottles were thrown at police, and MKP members attempted to block Speaker Boyce from leaving the chamber.

The EFF had confirmed it would support the MKP's motion, with leader Julius Malema stating the party's two members in the provincial legislature would vote in favor. However, the motion failed due to lack of support from the ANC, DA, IFP, and NFP, which back Ntuli's leadership.

Ntuli dismissed the motion as "political gamesmanship", warning it threatened the province's stability. The Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) remains intact, with Ntuli's position secure.

The outcome is seen as a significant setback for the MKP and EFF, with analysts suggesting the fragile coalition government will need to work harder to bridge differences and maintain public confidence.