Inkatha Freedom Party's Thami Ntuli is voted in as KwaZulu-Natal's ...

The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Thami Ntuli is KwaZulu-Natal’s new premier.

Ntuli was elected after the ANC/IFP/DA/NFP coalition trumped MK in today’s leadership elections in the 80-member legislature.

MK secured 45% of the vote in the provincial elections earlier this month, and the outcome of today’s events at the opening of the KZN legislature in Pietermaritzburg was uncertain.

MK has 37 of the 80 seats, and its ally, the EFF, has two.

Contrary to fears that MK “sleepers” in the ANC would be treasonous and vote with Zuma’s breakaway party, ANC members loyally voted with the coalition.

The government of provincial unity will mirror the coalition deal in the National Assembly. In KZN, the IFP/ANC/DA coalition commands 41 seats.

The coalition partners closed ranks, and Ntuli’s election will see him sworn in on Tuesday, when he is due to announce a provincial cabinet.

Today’s coalition cooperation saw the election of the ANC’s Ntobeko Boyce as Speaker, and the DA’s Mmabatho Tembe as Deputy Speaker.

The EFF and MK complained that the vote was not secret.

MK MPL Mervyn Dirks, who was nominated for Speaker, demanded that parliament’s live cameras be turned off over fears about the integrity of the secret ballot.

An unhappy Mongezi Twala from the EFF was shouted down after he called for a fresh vote, demanding, “We stay here until midnight if we need to.”

He was drowned out by booing from coalition members.

KZN Judge President Thoba Poyo Dlwati overruled objections, and Boyce was installed, followed by a successful vote for Tembe.

The DA’s Tembe, nominated by the ANC, said: “I’m honoured and excited that democracy is holding. Our job is to rescue South Africa.”

Boyce described democracy as “a mess”, but she added: “What sets us apart may not be as important as what brings us together.”

DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers said political stability was vital in KZN.

He said coalition parties needed to focus on building a sustainable economy, with job creation as a priority. 

“Local governments are at an all-time low with service delivery. A turnaround strategy needs to be developed to address these failures.”

NFP leader Ivan Barnes told DM that MK was beset by internal strife and in no position to lead.

“We are confident the government of provincial unity will succeed… and we will see a sea change for peace and unity.”

The IFP’s Ntuli is the former mayor of King Cetshwayo District Municipality and chair of the SA Local Government Association.

He will have to bring together a disparate group in his provincial coalition cabinet.

The province is historically divided and haunted by political violence.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Government of National Unity will see parties consulted on ministerial appointments, according to signed agreement

Ntuli’s victory speech was short and sharp. “We will hit the road running,” he said.

MK’s Dirks predicted that the coalition would divide the provincial cabinet to give the IFP four MEC posts, the ANC three, the DA two, and the NFP one.

MK would be a powerful opposition force, but he warned: “We are a grassroots political party. Therefore, we will not only be a party that engages in parliamentary politics but engages in mass mobilisation of our people to actively change their living conditions.”

Events outside the KZN legislature precinct were festive throughout the day. Despite security fears, MK and IFP supporters engaged in a spirited dance-off, averting worries of violence.

In the week ahead of today’s sitting, the province was on tenterhooks, with increased police deployments to KZN and internal wrangling in MK.

The final list of MK MPLs in KZN was contested until late in the morning.

When the parliamentary sitting got underway, a group of MK MPLs, endorsed by Jacob Zuma, was inside. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: GNU pie will be divided by vote share — no cadre deployment, says draft ANC document

Outside was a group of about 30 would-be MK MPLs who were on the party’s list originally submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission.

Chief among them was former ANC KZN heavyweight Nhlanhla Ngidi, who was MK’s provincial coordinator for two months earlier this year, before he was expelled for being an “ANC spy”, which he denied.

Ngidi arrived at the legislature for formalities yesterday and received an access card, but it didn’t work when he tried to gain entry this morning.

“We argued we were on the gazetted list, but then a supplementary list emerged, and we were not on the list. We were left in the carpark. I don’t know who removed us.”

Fears of violence in KZN had not materialised by Friday evening. DM