ANC 'to make KZN unworkable'

2003-01-04 08:29

Christi Naude

Durban - The ANC has promised to make the province "ungovernable and unworkable by rolling mass action, strikes, defiance of all unjust laws and court action", should the IFP/DA alliance decide to dissolve the legislature on Wednesday.

ANC spokesperson Dumisani Makhaye said the party is not afraid of elections but they should be free and fair and the party will ensure that the proposed "bantustan apart-heid" of the IFP/DP alliance does not work.

Speaking on Friday after an extended ANC meeting which included the leadership of Cosatu, Sanco and the SACP, Makhaye made it clear that the party will not hesitate to call in the help of the national cabinet.

"To achieve free and fair elections, we will request the cabinet to speed up the investigation of all political crimes committed against our people during political violence. Arrests should be made and the perpetrators should be taken to court. This should include the investigation of the eight trucks of weapons found in the possession of IFP strongman Phillip Powell."

Asked whether this could spark off political violence, Makhaye said once the "top has been arrested and put into prison for life - and we know what it's like - there will be no threat".

He said the ANC wants the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to come out with the final report of the human rights violations during the apartheid period.

The TRC has found that the IFP and its leader, Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi, were responsible for gross human rights violations during this period - a finding that Buthelezi plans to oppose in the Cape High Court.

The ANC will also make a request for the national cabinet to use all avenues available to assist the party.

"In the absence of a legislature, no budget can be passed, which would result in the stoppage of transfers from national government," Makhaye said, adding that the "chaos" created by that could compel central government to intervene.

Describing as an irresponsible act the DP/IFP alliance's initiative to present the motion to dissolve the legislature to enforce an early election "even if it means billions of rands for an election that would be repeated in 2004", he said it is not in the interests of good governance.

"The alliance just wants to take over the oversight function of the legislature - so they can do as they wish with the taxpayers' money."

Proof of the unpreparedness of the opposition is the absence of amendments to the electoral act to make it pass for a mid-term election "from the Home Affairs minister, who happens to be the IFP president".

He did not want to elaborate on the court action the ANC is planning "as we cannot show our weapons before the time".

- The Witness