By: Mbongeleni Joshua Mazibuko; MPL
IFP WHIP
KwaZulu-Natal Legislature; Pietermaritzburg
Hon. Speaker; the IFP accepts the fact that in 2014 the people of KwaZulu-Natal gave the African National Congress the mandate to lead our Province. And we accept and respect that verdict of our people.
Secondly, we accept that the ANC, like other organizations, has the prerogative to deploy and redeploy its own members as and when it deems appropriate. We respect this reality.
Hence we rise today to add our voice to the voices of Hon. Members who congratulate Hon. Mr. Willies Mchunu whom the ANC has deployed as the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal after the Hon. Senzo Mchunu who has led us since 2013.
Without any doubt we had our differences with the out-going Premier because the ANC mandate he carried was not in all circumstances in harmony with our IFP mandate. But we gave him the support and respect he deserved as the leader of our Province. Likewise, we shall give Hon. Mchunu the respect and support he will need to execute the mammoth task on his shoulders.
We know Hon. Mchunu as a seasoned politician and leader who has accumulated a lot of experience in government; having held various positions since 1994. We therefore believe that he will be able to shoulder the responsibilities of his new deployment.
Hon. Speaker; we are patriots. We are therefore well aware that it is in the interest of all residents of KwaZulu-Natal that this Province must remain stable, progressive and prosperous. Because, if KwaZulu-Natal were to sink, all of us would sink with it regardless of our political affiliations. Therefore, the context within which we play our role as part of the opposition is to ensure that government fulfills its commitments to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, and, to offer what we believe are tried-and-tested alternatives where necessary. Of course our primary mission is to take the people of KwaZulu-Natal back to the good, old days of the stable IFP government.
So, as we did with the outgoing Premier, we shall continue to advise, warn, correct, chastise and prod the current Premier and his government to do what is best for our Province. We shall always do this without losing cognizance of the principle of playing the ball and not the player who is holding the ball.
Lastly we wish both Hon. Senzo Mchunu and Hon. Willies Mchunu the best in their new deployments. That is the nature of politics.