The absence of three senior IFP leaders from the party’s recent 50th year-anniversary bash in Gauteng has raised speculation of a rift amongst senior figures ahead of an elective conference.
KwaZulu-Natal IFP provincial chairperson, Thamsanqa Ntuli, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi and Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, the Public Service Administration Minister did not attend the event, a move that has angered the supporters of party president Velenkosini Hlabisa.
This sparked a debate on social media platforms with Hlabisa’s backers describing it as sabotage linked to the much anticipated elective conference.
The IFP’s national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the absence of senior leaders from the Gauteng event was not an indication of a rift in the party.
“The IFP has a series of events for the 50th Anniversary which we launched publicly in January, the event of the 18th October was the Gauteng leg and KwaZulu-Natal will be in December.
“Leaders have been attending as and when they can,” Hlengwa said.
One of Hlabisa’s supporters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he believed the reasons the party leaders did not attend the gathering was to avoid sharing a platform with Hlabisa as they plan to contest his position in the elective conference.
“It was not a coincidence that these three leaders did not attend the Gauteng celebration. We believe this was planned. Although these leaders are not confirming their availability to contest at the elective conference, their supporters on the ground are strongly campaigning for them. We are just waiting for the conference date and to start our campaign to ensure that Hlabisa gets the second term,” said the source.
He said that under Hlabisa, the party did very well in last year’s general elections, reclaiming the province from the ANC, albeit through a coalition. Under Hlabisa, the party also became a crucial partner of the Government of National Unity, where it received several cabinet positions.
Despite repeatedly denying knowledge of a poster circulating on social media, which suggests that the three leaders are in the camp that wants to unseat Hlabisa, suggestions are that Mzamo Buthelezi will challenge Hlabisa for the president’s position, while Ntuli will deputise him.
The party has not yet decided on the conference date due to the ongoing branch verification process but tense informal lobbying is said to have begun ahead of the opening of the nomination process.
Addressing supporters during the recent anniversary celebration, Hlabisa announced that the date of the conference will be announced in December.
Ntuli, who is the KZN Premier, said he had to attend to a government programme and that permission to miss the anniversary celebration was granted by Hlabisa.
Mzamo and Thulasizwe Buthelezi had not yet responded to questions sent to them about their non-attendance at the event.
After the party announced earlier this year that it would hold its elective conference towards the end of 2025, there were suggestions that Ntuli would challenge the current party Hlabisa for the position. Ntuli later dismissed these as rumours, saying he was unavailable to run for the position.
Buthelezi who is currently the deputy party president and Minister of Public Service Administration under the Government of National Unity had previously played down the suggestion of voting slates, saying the spokesperson or the party president will call a press conference to address the issue- this has not happened.
Thulasizwe Buthelezi, who is being touted for the Secretary-General position, had also previously distanced himself from the poster which he described as being orchestrated by ‘elements who are threatened by the party’s growth under Hlabisa, adding that the party’s agenda is set by structures, not via social media’.
