IFP Clarifies Rights of its President within the Party
1 July 2019
There has been a lot of misreporting about the roles, rights and responsibilities of the IFP President following the KZN Provincial Conference (elective).
The President is first and foremost a member of the IFP, whose membership is taken up at a branch level.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was at the KZN Provincial Council and Conference this past weekend as a full delegate as the constitution allows.
Constitutionally Prince Buthelezi, as IFP President, is a member of the Provincial Council of the province he is resident in i.e KZN
As a delegate he was well within his rights to participate in all the due processes of the conference which includes the nomination process.
There is therefore nothing untoward with Prince Buthelezi to make a nomination, he was well within his rights to do so.
It is also important to point to the fact that the nomination of Mr Thami Ntuli also came up from other structures as was the nomination of Mr Mbangiseni Yengwa.
Consistent with the democratic process an election took place the final result was follows:
Mbangiseni Yengwa- 1833 vote
Thami Ntuli- 1855 votes
The characterization that Mr Ntuli was “anointed” and not elected is reckless in nature and seeks to undermine a legitimate and robust election process.
The IFP is satisfied that conference was a resoundingly successful democratic exercise, and the outcome is testament of the collective will of the Party structures.
Our conference was democracy at work.
It would therefore be irregular for Prince Buthelezi’s constitutional rights be usurped simply because he is the President, whereas first and foremost he is a member in good standing belonging to Ekudubekeni Branch in Ulundi.
We appreciate that Prince Buthelezi, as a first amongst equals, actively demonstrates the need for our members to exercise their full rights in all Party processes as and when the opportunities arise; consistent with our constitution.
Issued by Mkhuleko Hlengwa, IFP National Spokesperson, 1 July 2019
