IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa wants the ANC and his party to discuss peace in KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa for both parties to iron out their differences after a fallout during a government event.
IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa said he wrote to Ramaphosa, asking that each party nominates three members from their top structures to serve on the peace talks.
MEC Siboniso Duma publicly clashed with traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation Thulasizwe Buthelezi at the weekend and this has led to a war of words between the ANC and the IFP.
Hlabisa said on Friday he has written to Ramaphosa to urge both sides to engage in peace talks to avoid conflict ahead of the elections.
Ramaphosa said at the weekend, when he was campaigning in KwaZulu-Natal, they will talk to the IFP.
But Hlabisa said he has not yet been approached by the ANC president.
“I then received a letter on Wednesday morning from the Provincial Secretary of the ANC (Bheki Mtolo), purporting to seek what he called ‘peace talks’ with the IFP. I indicated to him that I would respond once I had given the matter some thought.
“After careful consideration (on Thursday), I dispatched a letter to the President of the ANC, sharing how best we can deal with the KwaCeza incident, as he also commented about it, in public. I requested that our parties nominate three members of our respective NECs and these three aside members will jointly facilitate the engagement of our PECs in KZN, to ensure that we deliver the sustainable and desired result. We are now awaiting the response from the ANC President.
“(On Thursday evening), I conveyed the above information to Mr Mtolo,” said Hlabisa.
The IFP hopes it will be able to meet with the ANC to avoid violence before the elections.
The IFP has denied that its members were involved in the attack on ANC members after the Saturday event.
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said 16 people were injured and taken to hospital.
Hlabisa said they did not want violence in the province.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Politics