By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Paul Mashatile led a delegation of the party’s top seven officials to visit the Buthelezi family, who have been receiving well-wishers at their home at Ka Phindangene, near Ulundi.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Buthelezi family received visits from a government delegation which included Public Works Minister and former KZN premier Sihle Zikalala.
Party deputy president Floyd Shivambu led EFF members who came to pay tribute, while DA visitors included federal leader John Steenhuisen and provincial leader Francois Rodgers.
Both the EFF and DA brought live cattle as offerings to the family in keeping with culture and tradition.
A sentiment shared by the two parties’ leaders is Buthelezi’s wisdom and dedication, with the DA’s Steenhuisen saying this is one of the reasons his legacy will live on.
Mashatile has called on the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) to work with the ANC in the runup to the 2024 elections.
“This is man who worked with us as a Minister of Home Affairs under Mandela’s administration. He worked with us very well in our government. What we need to do is to build on the legacy.
“The IFP, ANC has a challenge of implementing his wish of working together if we want to honour, we can honour him in that way. We can’t honour him with conflict. We must know him by coming together and working together.
“After the funeral we will come and map a way forward on working together. Next year is the elections and often there is violence when its election time, and I don’t know why. Let’s campaign freely and peacefully because even after the elections we will still work together.”
His comments comes as political parties jostle for possible coalition partners after the national polls.
Buthelezi will be laid to rest on Saturday, and has been granted a special official funeral by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The funeral had originally been scheduled for Friday, but was moved after discussions between the family and government officials to give time for preparations of the state funeral to be completed.
It will be held at the Ulundi stadium.
The IFP will hold a memorial service for Buthelezi, who led the party for 44 years since its formation in 1975 and was given the title of president emeritus, in Ulundi on Wednesday.