EFF Gauteng provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga is set to join Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s cabinet.
Image: Supplied
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is preparing a political shake-up, with EFF provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga expected to be appointed as an MEC.
Sources told IOL negotiations between the ANC and the EFF are nearing a critical point, with Dunga’s deployment into the executive emerging as a key condition.
“It’s not final, but it’s moving fast. The EFF wants in, and the ANC is opening that door,” the source said.
Another source said it might also be a good idea for the EFF to join the GPU because of how they are in good shape with the ANC in other parts where the are in coalition.
“But yes, it’s true, the talks have been on going.”
Lesufi is set to brief the media on Wednesday on governance matters, a moment expected to provide answers on whether the EFF will formally enter the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
The ANC has already informed its current partners, the IFP and Rise Mzansi, signalling that the political ground is shifting.
Dunga’s expected rise comes just days after he was sworn in as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
The EFF described him as a disciplined and proven leader committed to representing the working class and the poor.
His return to provincial politics follows a bruising fallout in Ekurhuleni. Dunga stepped down as EFF caucus leader after tensions with the ANC escalated over power-sharing in the mayoral committee.
The conflict ended with his removal as Finance MMC by Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza.
In an interview with the SABC on Tuesday, Xhakaza defended the decision, pointing to ongoing billing failures and budget pressures.
The challenges required decisive intervention, he said.
Despite that setback, Dunga now stands on the verge of a significant comeback.
Some insiders believe bringing the EFF into government could stabilise coalition rule. Others warn it could deepen tensions and blur political accountability.
“The EFF has been effective in some coalitions, but this is a different scale,” another source said.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics