The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal says it plans to expel six councillors from uPhongolo Local Municipality after they supported the ANC in a recent Speaker election. The IFP frames the move as a response to councillors it describes as having voted against the party’s position. The proposed expulsions highlight ongoing political tensions within the municipality and broader concerns about stability in the province’s local government.
Reporting indicates the dispute centres on the election of the Speaker, where the councillors’ vote is described as aligning with the ANC rather than the IFP. In response, the IFP says it intends to follow party processes that could lead to the councillors losing their party membership. The planned expulsions are expected to affect the composition of municipal leadership and could influence how council business proceeds.
While the immediate action is internal to the IFP, the issue is politically significant because it involves councillors elected to public office and their voting behaviour during a key leadership vote. The situation remains fluid as the party moves toward formal disciplinary steps.
