South Africa’s Council of the Left forms municipal bloc
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Maverick
South Africa’s Council of the Left, which includes the uMkhonto weSizwe party, Economic Freedom Fighters and South African Communist Party, is forming a bloc representing 20% of the vote. It wants to promote a common programme in municipal councils where its parties are represented, according to Daily Maverick.
South Africa’s Council of the Left, a grouping of parties and organisations including the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and South African Communist Party (SACP), announced on Thursday 12 November the creation of a bloc to cooperate in municipal governments. The parties collectively represent 20% of the vote and want to promote a common programme in councils where they are represented, Daily Maverick reports.
The programme includes ending the privatisation of national assets and rebuilding municipalities focused on access to land, housing, employment, affordable electricity and drinking water. The bloc is also calling for the removal of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus from the government of national unity, which its members describe as reactionary forces, according to Daily Maverick.
Dali Mpofu, national negotiator for the MK party, said members would continue to conduct their municipal coalition negotiations separately. He said the MK party had been formally approached by the DA and remained open to discussions with parties seeking to negotiate with it in local governments.
The announcement comes as parties negotiate the formation of municipal coalitions following the local elections. On 10 November, the ANC boycotted a meeting of the Council of the Left, a step reported in the ANC boycott.
