DURBAN - THE National Freedom Party believes that its “Do it for VZ” election slogan and the use of the late leader as the face of its campaign resulted in the party doing well in the local government elections.
The party had asked its supporters and the people who loved its late founder, Veronica Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi, to vote for the party in her honour.
It launched the slogan “Do it for VZ” two months before the elections. The strategy appears to have resonated with the people and the party was declared the winner in eDumbe Municipality in Paulpietersburg, Zululand on Tuesday. Speaking to the Daily News on Wednesday, NFP secretary-general Canaan Mdletshe said they worked hard during the campaign but he believed that many people had heeded their call to honour kaMagwaza-Msibi and had voted for them.
He said although she had not been well after suffering a severe stroke in 2014, they had hoped for a full recovery. Had she been alive, he felt sure that the party would have received more votes and may have snatched one or two more municipalities.
“Her death was a blow to us … After her death, we felt we must ask people to remember and honour her by voting for the party she founded,” Mdletshe said.
He said the party had performed beyond their expectations by winning eDumbe Municipality and forcing a coalition in Nongoma.
Before the elections, many people had “read the party’s obituary” and had said it was dead and buried.
“The party had gone through a lot. You will recall that after the president suffered a stroke in 2014, factions emerged and senior leaders left and, as if that was not enough, in 2016 it failed to register for the elections. Two months before the elections, the leader passed away so no one expected this.”
Mdletshe added they would soon begin coalition negotiations in Nongoma because it was clear that no party had won an outright majority.
At the time of publication, the IFP was leading in Nongoma but was below 50%. It was followed by the NFP with just over 30% and the ANC with just below 20%. Mdletshe said if negotiations with small parties went well the NFP would have an opportunity to lead another municipality.
The NFP was founded by kaMagwaza-Msibi in 2011 after IFP members broke away. The party won eDumbe, Nongoma and Zululand while it co-governed with the ANC in other municipalities.
Daily News