The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the National Freedom Party (NFP) have agreed to attend a joint meeting of the so-called “black and progressive political parties” to discuss plans for a coalition government that will see the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) ousted in KwaZulu-Natal. The African National Congress (ANC), which holds 17 of the 80 seats in the provincial legislature, is still mum, and early indications suggest that without the approval from Luthuli House, they…

Calls for accountability over the Phala Phala farm investigation have intensified after multiple political parties demanded the release and parliamentary scrutiny of a report compiled by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) into the 2020 burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm. The African Transformation Movement has formally written to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, requesting that IPID be summoned to account for its findings and conduct during the investigation. In a letter addressed to committee chairperson Ian Cameron, ATM leader…

Colleen Makhubele has resigned as a member of parliament for the MK Party, effective immediately. Her decision comes just a month after she was removed from her position as the party’s parliamentary chief whip. In a statement posted on her social media accounts, Makhubele said her resignation was a necessary step for personal reflection and integrity. “It is with a heavy heart that I resign as an MP of the MK Party. I have served with dedication, but I believe…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will wait for the Madlanga Commission to finish its work before deciding what to do about suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Mchunu was put on special leave last year after allegations of corruption and political interference were made against him. These claims are now being examined by the commission. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Mchunu still needs to return to the commission to complete his testimony. “He still has more evidence to give to the…

The former Mayor of Nongoma Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Clifford “Mshangane” Ndabandaba, has abruptly resigned as a councillor and executive committee (exco) member in the municipality. Ndabandaba, who is currently facing multiple corruption charges alongside the ANC’s Babongile Sithole and former EFF councillor Sabelo Nkosi for the alleged looting of municipal funds during their tenure, submitted his resignation in a letter dated 19 February 2026. He did not state any reason for the sudden departure. “I am writing to…

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has rejected new positions offered to its councillors in the City of Ekurhuleni’s Mayoral Committee, following a dramatic midnight reshuffle announced by Executive Mayor Nkosiphindile Xhakaza. The red berets say they will not form part of the newly constituted Mayoral Committee and will instead take up seats on the opposition benches, accusing Xhakaza of sidelining their councillors and undermining prior coalition understandings. In a strongly worded statement, the party confirmed that two of its councillors…

The political storm in the City of Ekurhuleni deepened on Wednesday after ActionSA rejected claims that one of its senior leaders, Cllr Xolani Khumalo, had been appointed to the Mayoral Committee by Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza. The party has described as “entirely fabricated” a media statement circulating after Tuesday night’s dramatic reshuffle, which listed Khumalo as the new MMC for Community Services and By-Law Enforcement. The reshuffle, announced just before midnight, saw Mayor Xhakaza unveil what he termed “strategic changes”…

Residents of the City of Ekurhuleni woke up on Wednesday to news of sweeping changes to the city’s Mayoral Committee, following a dramatic midnight reshuffle announced by Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza. In a statement released with immediate effect from late 17 February 2026, Xhakaza confirmed that he had effected “strategic changes” to the composition of the City’s executive, citing extensive consultations with multi-party organisations represented in Council. Thirteen of the sixteen political parties participated in the discussions, culminating in what…

Despite holding talks with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) over the weekend in Durban, the National Freedom Party (NFP) has confirmed it remains outside the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) and will back efforts to unseat Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli. In a statement on Tuesday, the NFP said discussions with the IFP are ongoing but have not yet concluded. It added that it is happy to remain in the opposition benches of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in Pietermaritzburg. “Our position stands…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of political detainees and the holding of free and fair elections in South Sudan, as he delivered closing remarks at the C5 Meeting at the level of Heads of State in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Addressing fellow leaders on Sunday, Ramaphosa described the meeting as “long in the making” but constructive and necessary, saying it had helped craft a clear way forward for South Sudan’s fragile peace process. He thanked…