The National Chairperson of the IFP, Dr L.P.H.M Mtshali has dismissed a statement issued by the ANC, 'The IFP must pay the money it owes KZN government' "as fantastical nonsense and a desperate attempt to draw attention away from the real issues of significance facing the province."

Dr Mtshali firstly pointed out that the IFP's holding of its National Council in a parliamentary caucus was not an irregular practise and it was relevant to note that the national ANC parliamentary caucus holds their meetings in their parliamentary caucus room.

Furthermore, the IFP held its KZN provincial conference at the M.LSultan Technikon, two weeks ago.

Responding to the claim that the "IFP Premier and IFP Ministers are staying in rent free government mansions in Ulundi", Dr Mtshali responded that all IFP ministers are paying rent on their homes and that there were ANC Ministers who owed outstanding rent. Dr Mtshali also drew attention to the example of the Party President, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi who is one of only two national Ministers who pay rent for their homes in Cape Town.

Dr Mtshali further notes that the Inkatha Freedom Party pays for the usage of facilities, including the eMandleni-Matleng Training Centre outside Ulundi, where it holds it Annual General Conference.

Dr Mtshali said the ANC were deliberately twisting and misrepresenting the meaning of the IFP National Council resolution, which specifically referred to the attempt by ANC to take over the provincial government by the floor-crossing legislation, describing it as:

"A desperate attempt by the ANC to distract attention from the growing public anger at its attempt to subvert the will of the people in KwaZulu-Natal by trickery and deceit. In a futile attempt to destroy the character and integrity of the IFP, they are actually destroying their own credibility."

"The inflammatory and coarse language they use is not that of democratic discourse but that of a demagogue fearful of not getting their own way."

Issued by: National Chairperson of the IFP and the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal,