Durban — The IFP will use its late founder and Zulu traditional prime minister Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi as the face of its election campaign in next year’s general elections.
This was revealed by the party’s National Youth Brigade chairperson Sanele Zondo on Wednesday during the party’s student wing, SA Democratic Students Organisation’s Siyanqoba rally for Mangosuthu University of Technology student representative council elections.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Zondo said the national council, of which he is a member, decided to make the late leader the face of the election campaign because it was important to honour him.
“We have already taken that decision. We took it while he was still alive, but it’s more important than ever now that he is no longer with us. Shenge is not those kind of leaders who when departed you will say he must rest in peace. His spirit will live among us forever,” said Zondo.
WATCH: IFP -aligned student leaders singing ahead of the address by the party provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli at Mangosuthu University of Technology. The institution will hold SRC elections tomorrow.@DailyNewsSA pic.twitter.com/n30yV5LN3p
— Willem phungula (@PhungulaWillem) October 4, 2023
To the surprise of many people, the party used Buthelezi as the face of the election campaign in the 2021 local government elections. This was in spite of the presence of the new leader Velenkosini Hlabisa. However, it looked like the decision paid good dividends since the party did well in the elections, winning strategic municipalities like uMhlathuze and Newcastle. These two municipalities are regarded as economic hubs outside of eThekwini.
Zondo said the IFP youth wing will engage the university’s management to open campuses in all provinces to further honour Buthelezi to show that he was a national leader. He added that Buthelezi was honoured not just by naming the institution after him because he was a leader, but also because he built the university from scratch.
On who the party will appoint as the KwaZulu-Natal premier candidate, Zondo said the matter would be decided by the national council after elections. He said that Buthelezi had advised them not to count their chickens before they hatch.
Delivering his main address, the party’s provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli urged all students, including those who are aligned with other political parties, to vote for Sadesmo in honour of the institution’s founder, Buthelezi.
Ntuli said if there was time to thank Buthelezi for building the institution, it was now. He said the party would consider the IFP youth’s request to be offered in-service training in the IFP-controlled municipalities.
Ntuli urged students to vote for the IFP-aligned student wing and the party in next year’s elections, promising that when the party takes government next year it will work with and support institutions such as the Mangosuthu University of Technology.
WATCH: KZN IFP chair calls on Mangosuthu University of Technology students to vote for Sadesmo in honour of the departed institution founder inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi @DailyNewsSA pic.twitter.com/aM8TXv3ovx
— Willem phungula (@PhungulaWillem) October 4, 2023
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