World

　　South Africa's largest black opposition party yesterday refused to take the two seats it was offered in the country's new Cabinet, raising new questions about political turbulence after this month's elections.

　　President Thabo Mbeki said the Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party had rejected the posts of deputy minister of sport and deputy minister of public works after Wednesday's reshuffle.

　　"I got letters from them to say that the leadership of their party had discussed this matter and wanted to have further discussion and they declined to be sworn in," Mbeki said at a Cabinet swearing-in ceremony in Pretoria.

　　"What will therefore happen is that we will proceed to appoint two deputy ministers since they have declined to serve."

　　Mbeki on Wednesday had named the IFP's Musa Zondi as the new deputy minister of public works while IFP legislator Vincent Ngema was named deputy minister of sport.

　　IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi was dropped as home affairs minister in the reshuffle after his party's poor showing in the April 14 elections, which saw it lose control of its only stronghold, KwaZulu-Natal province, to Mbeki's African National Congress.

　　Zondi told the South Africa Press Agency the IFP would make a full statement on the cabinet issue when it was ready and denied that tensions were again on the rise in KwaZulu-Natal.

　　(Reuters)