The appointment of Inkosi Nyanga Ngubane and Reverend C.J Mtetwa to the KwaZulu-Natal provincial cabinet by the newly appointed Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr S'bu Ndebele this morning was done without the express agreement of the Inkatha Freedom Party. Subsequently, Inkosi Ngubane and Reverend Mtetwa have withdrawn from the provincial government until the matter is resolved.

Musa Zondi, IFP National Spokesperson said that the Party objected to the Premier announcing these appointments without the prior approval of the Party and because discussions were still taking place about giving the IFP three cabinet portfolios. The ANC delegation had agreed to give the IFP three portfolios in the negotiation process.

Zondi said that Mr Ndebele had expressed concern about certain names that the IFP might nominate. In a number of telephonic conversations last night and this morning between Zondi and Mr Ndebele, Zondi unequivocally left no doubt that the IFP position was that the Party would need to agree to the names of IFP members of the cabinet. This was confirmed to Mr Ndebele a few minutes before the sitting in the legislature. Yet he went ahead and announced a cabinet containing only two IFP names that the Party had not agreed to.

The IFP had also requested that of the three portfolios the Party be given the portfolio of Traditional Affairs. In this regard Mr Ndebele claimed to Zondi that the situation was "ossified". Zondi told Mr Ndebele that this would have to be referred back to the Party's principal and might leave the IFP with no option but to not participate in the provincial government.