Durban - Voters were calling for the return of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) following the failure of the coalition between the African National Congress and the National Freedom Party, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Monday.
Buthelezi, speaking in Durban at the launch of the party’s branded bus to traverse the province, said: “The coalition was an utter disaster and an utter failure.”
Following the 2011 local government elections a number of municipalities that had been previously controlled by the IFP were divided between the IFP, the ANC and the NFP, with no clear majority.
A deal was later struck between the ANC and the NFP to enter into coalitions that would govern these municipalities.
The NFP was created three months before the 2011 local government elections when the party’s former national chairwoman Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi left the IFP to form the NFP.
Buthelezi said: “We hope they have tested the waters and learnt. Having tested the waters of other parties, they [the voters] are calling for the return of the IFP.”
He expressed his concern over the recent political killings that have taken place in the province: “The police do not seem to have done their work [to solve political killings].”
He said that the party had seen postings from social media platforms such as Facebook urging that IFP candidates be killed.
“I am very worried. More than 10 people have been killed.”
Two IFP members were killed on Friday in Estcourt , allegedly by gunmen wearing ANC T-shirts.
African News Agency