By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, its political trajectory in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) continues to strengthen.
The IFP was founded by the late Mangosuthu Buthelezi on 21 March 1975 in Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
It was initially known as the Inkatha National Cultural Liberation Movement or Inkatha yeNkululeko yeSizwe.
Born in 1928, Buthelezi served as the traditional prime minister to the Zulu royal family from 1954 until his passing on 9 September 2023. He was succeeded by Velenkosini Hlabisa, who now serves as the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs under the government of national unity.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP won 16.34% of the vote share in last year’s general elections. However, the emergence of the newly formed Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), significantly shifted the political landscape. The MK Party secured 45.33% of the provincial vote.
KwaZulu-Natal, previously under ANC leadership, saw a change in governance after no party achieved an outright majority in the elections, resulting in an IFP-led coalition.
The province, led by Premier Thami Ntuli of the IFP, is co-governed by the IFP, ANC, DA and the National Freedom Party (NFP). The IFP secured 18.07% of the vote, while the ANC’s support dropped from 54.22% in 2019 to 16.99%. The DA obtained 13.36%, a slight decrease from its previous 13.9%; and the NFP’s share declined from 1.57% to 0.56%.
Addressing thousands of party supporters at the Prince Mangosuthu stadium in Ulundi, Hlabisa reminded people that if it wasn’t for the party and its founder inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi who insisted that on federal arrangements during the talks, the country would not be having provinces and municipalities.
Hlabisa said, by pushing the federal system, the party wanted the government that would be closer to the people, not a central government who sits far from the people and wields power.
“The idea of provinces and municipalities was championed by us because we always knew that in order to serve people well you must be closer to them so if it wasn’t for prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi we would not be having provinces and municipalities in this country,” said Hlabisa.
The event was attended by the DA provincial leadership which was represented by the party leader Francois Rodgers and its provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson, the party delivered a message of support and congratulated the IFP on its 50th year anniversary.
Both parties have a long and standing relationship which emanated from their cooperation in the many municipalities across the province. Both parties are co-governing the province under the government of provincial unity where the DA controls two departments and the deputy speaker’s position.
Meanwhile 22 IFP members were injured after a bus they were travelling in overturned on the R34 just outside Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal.
The members were travelling from Gauteng to attend the party’s 50th anniversary celebration in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal.
“The bus was unable to navigate a stop sign, causing that accident. At this point, the report that we have received is that there have been four injuries, and others are receiving medical attention on-site. The four have been taken to hospital,” IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said.
The provincial chairperson of Gauteng Bonginkosi Dlamini is en route to Vryheid, and we have requested the leadership to make sure they are on site. No fatalities were reported at this point.”
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Video Courtesy of IFP.