KZN news bites: Zuma says he and Buthelezi never left ANC despite new parties

Celani Sikhakhane brings you KwaZulu-Natal’s latest news.

Durban: Former President Jacob Zuma says that it’s only him and the late IFP founder Mangosuthu Buthelezi who remained full members of the ANC despite forming their own political parties. Zuma was speaking at the launch of the Willies Mchunu Foundation recently. He said Prince Buthelezi died as a member of the ANC while he was leading the IFP. “I told some of the ANC comrades that they must know that I and Buthelezi never left the ANC. And we will never leave it. I will die as a member of the ANC. The only thing that I am waiting for is to bring back the land and take back our ANC from that man. However, could I leave Nelson Mandela’s and Oliver Tambo’s? I will never leave the ANC and I am still a member,” said Zuma.

uMzimkhulu: The Democratic Alliance in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature is deeply concerned about the ongoing crisis surrounding the closure of the uMzimkhulu River Bridge and severe delays in the rehabilitation of the R102 on the South Coast of KZN. The party said that when the project was announced in March 2025, residents were told that the emergency repairs would take approximately six months and cost around R190-million. Yet nearly a year later, commuters remain stuck in daily gridlock while businesses and families bear the economic cost of government failure. “Reports that work has repeatedly stalled due to non-payment of contractors raise serious concerns about financial management within the KZN Department of Transport,” the DA said.

Westville: KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli says the Gender-Based Violence activists are part of government intervention to curb the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide. Ntuli was speaking at the Westville Correctional Facility in eThekwini Metro where he welcomed 211 activists who will be placed at police stations across various districts in the province. These gender-based violence and femicide activists are recruited from all districts and will receive intensive training in preparation for the task at hand. “We will measure the success of this programme by the decline in gender-based violence and femicide crime statistics,” said Ntuli. These activists remind us that change begins with courage. Courage to inspire hope for safer communities, courage to fight for the dignity and rights of all the vulnerable in our province.

Pictured above: KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize, President Jacob Zuma, King Goodwill Zwelithini and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi at the prayer and cleansing ceremony of the people who died during violence in eNyokeni, KwaNongoma in KwaZulu-Natal.

Image source: Flickr