KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature's "People's Parliament", planned for 27 June, is yet another public relations venture designed to advance the party political interests of the ruling ANC.

"The ruling party will undoubtedly hijack the forthcoming People's Parliament for what should be its private celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, an internal party document at the time of its creation," said Dr Lionel Mtshali who leads the IFP's caucus in KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Parliament in Pietermaritzburg.

"They have done it at least three times this year. The Opening of Parliament at Royal Showgrounds, the Workers' Parliament and the Youth Parliament were all essentially ANC rallies paid for by the taxpayer. And I am not even counting the countless government-sponsored izimbizo where people were blatantly told how lucky they were to have an ANC government," said Dr Mtshali.

In preparation for these occasions, the ANC routinely avoids consultation with other political parties. This People's Parliament was no different. "In this so-called People's Parliament, which strives to bring the legislative process closer to the populace, key decisions are made by a narrow clique in the ruling party," said Dr Mtshali.

The IFP is equally concerned about the recurring focus of these functions on talk at the expense of action. The forthcoming People's Parliament has outlined a number of public forums for, as it were in the past, futile debate.

"The ANC have come to believe that the people of KwaZulu-Natal can talk themselves out of chronic unemployment and abject poverty. The IFP has always been more pragmatic than this. We have always stood for REAL DEVELOPMENT NOW," said Dr Mtshali.