Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC in Gauteng has not ruled out withdrawing from its partnership with the EFF in Ekurhuleni as a bitter fight continues to simmer among regional leaders in the metro.
ANC Gauteng provincial leaders said they had been inundated with concerns from Ekurhuleni members.
The tensions between the EFF and the ANC have been playing out in public over the past three months.
At a media briefing last week, ANC Ekurhuleni caucus leader Jongizizwe Dlabathi alleged massive financial concerns in the metro.
The EFF is in charge of the finance portfolio, through its provincial leader, Nkululeko Dunga, who serves as the MMC of Finance.
The EFF holds other strategic portfolios, a reality the ANC was forced to accept in its bid to return to power.
On Wednesday, ANC provincial secretary TK Nciza said tensions in coalitions were part of the political compromise.
He said that, if the ANC decided its relationship with the EFF could not be mended, abandoning it would be the only option.
Nciza said:
ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi took a more diplomatic stance, acknowledging that a provincial executive committee meeting focused on complaints from Ekurhuleni members.
But, he said, the ANC saw room for a compromise.
“We have not merged with the EFF, there are differences that we have with the EFF in Ekurhuleni, but it does not mean the collapse of any municipality,” Lesufi said.
EFF leader Nkululeko Dunga told News24 the ANC was lying about the instability of Ekurhuleni’s finances.
According to him, the finances have improved under the EFF.
He cited an increase in revenue collection of R10.3 billion, compared to R10 billion under the previous DA/ActionSA coalition.
Dunga said the only reason he could see for the complaints was that the ANC was not working, while the EFF was working hard and efficiently.
Dunga said:
But the ANC’s concerns about the financial stability of Ekurhuleni may have weight.
In a press statement on Wednesday, Eskom announced it was owed R1.5 billion by the metro.
The power utility said payments to it were erratic and a possible threat to Eskom’s liquidity.
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