Ageing IFP
leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has finally thrown in the towel after being at the
helm of his party for more than four decades.
Buthelezi
dropped a bombshell at a media briefing in Durban on Sunday when he announced
that he would not stand for re-election as IFP president during the party’s
upcoming national general elective conference.
The IFP leader‚
who has been at the helm of the party since founding it in 1975‚ said the
party’s extended national council had agreed to nominate Velenkosini Hlabisa‚
the mayor of Hlabisa in northern KwaZulu-Natal‚ to stand for the leadership.
Buthelezi has
described Hlabisa as a leader of integrity who has served the IFP with
distinction and who has the support from the party’s structures. He said the
proposal that Hlabisa stand for leadership has emanated from across the party.
“We therefore
support him. The Extended National Council opened the floor to all our leaders
to indicate whether they wish to stand for nomination. We did not receive any
indication from among our leaders. Thus Mr Hlabisa presently stands as our only
nominee‚” said Buthelezi.
However‚ he
said this does not prevent anyone from throwing their name in the ring during
the conference.
“Our
Constitution allows that names be received from the floor even on the day of
election. However‚ we are pleased to know the wishes of our structures in
advance and we fully support their nomination of Mr Hlabisa.”
Buthelezi said
that should Hlabisa be elected to lead the IFP‚ he has made himself available
to work alongside him “in whatever way our members see fit‚ for as long as my
health allows”.
“While I will
no longer be at the helm‚ and would submit in all things to the leadership of
the party‚ I am prepared to assist the IFP in as far as possible to ensure that
it can play the role it needs to play in South Africa‚” said Buthelezi.
The 89-year-old
veteran politician resigned as IFP leader in 2004 but was urged twice by the
party’s national council to stay on as leader.
He has
previously refused to speculate on when he would retire and often retorted
angrily to the question but had reiterated his position that he would not quit
as long as the IFP’s national council wanted him to stay.
“It’s known
that it was merely at the request of my party and not that I wanted to lead‚
because I’m a loyal cadre of my party‚” he has said before.
Hlabisa’s
nomination to stand for the IFP leadership has come as a huge blow to party
deputy leader Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi’s ambition to succeed Buthelezi. times
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