The National Spokesperson of the IFP, Reverend Musa Zondi, dismissed aspersions that the IFP could terminate its co-operation with the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, in response to a potential ANC-NNP co-operative arrangement in the Western Cape as speculative.

Reverend Zondi said:

"There is not a grain of truth in the article that appears on the front page of today's BUSINESS DAY (November 7 2001). The so-called (nameless) senior sources in the IFP who give the impression that the IFP is overly concerned about an ANC-NNP rapprochement is devoid of truth, as it is extremely misleading and mischievous."

Noting that the IFP participated in the erstwhile Government of National Unity (GNU) in which the NNP also participated from 1994 to 1996, Reverend Zondi posed the question:

"What difference does the possibility of closer co-operation between the NNP and the ANC make now?"

Reverend Zondi said:

"People should not read too much into the statement that officials of the Premier's offices in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape have been in contact, exploring governmental co-operative arrangements between the two Provinces. This, of course, is quite a different matter from a so-called IFP - DA alliance which has never found favour in the structures of the IFP."

Reverend Zondi further added that it was no secret that there are people in the ranks of the IFP who favour closer ties with the DA as opposed to working with the ANC. Every time there are problems encountered between the ANC and IFP, such as the current frustrations felt by the IFP over the lack of progress on the issues of Traditional Leadership and the status of the Director General of Home Affairs, the support for IFP - DA cooperation grows though this does not have the endorsement of the official organs of the Party.

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