The Inkatha Freedom Party was in Mpumalanga on Saturday. PHOTO: Supplied
The IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party) has promised the people of Mpumalanga province a clean government should usurp the governing ANC and take the province in 2024.
The party says its track record in governing with integrity in KwaZulu-Natal and in municipalities should persuade the people of the province not to look further than it when voting next year.
The party’s top brass descended on the coal mining town of Emalahleni (formerly Witbank) on Saturday to launch its voter registration drive ahead of next month’s registration of voters for the 2024 general elections.
The event was also used to launch the “Kungawe - It’s About You” campaign where its leaders listen to citizens about their concerns and solutions.
Among the IFP’s representatives were the party’s president, Velenkosini Hlabisa, Blessed Gwala, the party’s national chairperson, and Thami Ntuli, the IFP’s chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal who also serves in the party’s daily management committee.
They took turns to woo the voters who came to the registration drive.
NEWS: The ANC and the IFP in the Inkosi Langalibalele local municipality (Estcourt) in the KZN Midlands are heading for another bruising by-election after a ward councillor resigned. Councillor Nosipho Hlongwane of the ANC at Ward 11 served her resignation letter on Thursday.
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) October 28, 2023
Ntuli said it’s a fallacy that the IFP is a regional party as they have a significant presence outside KwaZulu-Natal.
Turning to how the country is being governed, Ntuli said the country is on a downward spiral and next year’s provincial and national elections offer voters an opportunity to save it before it is too late.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP can show you tangible results of what it has done where it governed,” Ntuli told the rally.
Gwala echoed Ntuli, saying it’s a fallacy that they are a regional party only found in KwaZulu-Natal.
“If the IFP is a regional party, why we are here in Mpumalanga today?
“The so-called political analysts have on numerous occasions predicted the death of the IFP, but the IFP is still alive,” Gwala said, adding that they will continue to promote the legacy of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of the party.
Giving his keynote address, Hlabisa said corruption, nepotism and wasteful expenditure have become the hallmark of the ANC.
He said contrary to a popular narrative that the country has no money to undertake projects to uplift itself, the country is well off.
He said the only challenge is that the country’s finances have been grossly mismanaged under the ANC.
He cited the Zondo commission, saying it found that billions that could have been spent to uplift people were squandered by a few in the state capture project.
“We are suing this to motivate the people of South Africa (to register and vote), in South Africa, money has never been an issue, but the issue has been the recklessness in managing our country’s money.
“The Zondo commission report tells us that under the watch of the ANC, R250 billion was squandered during state capture. With this money, everyone in South Africa should be working,” Hlabisa said.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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