The Inkatha Freedom Party denounces, with contempt, statements made by the African National Congress on Tuesday that it was scared of the IFP, concerned by political intimidation in KZN and further accusing the IFP of attempting to disrupt preparations of ANC election events in the province. 

Two other false claims that were made in media yesterday are as follows –

one: that the killing of Inkosi Zondi might have had to do with him parting ways with the IFP to join the ANC and two: that the IFP has never been disturbed by the ANC supporters in their electioneering campaigns. 

"The IFP would like to set the record straight today because we find these insinuations mischievous and grossly offensive. Political intolerance has reared its ugly head in the Province but we can unconditionally state that it is not being fuelled by the IFP. We see this time and time again as we head closer to national and provincial elections – the ANC blames the IFP of all sorts of untruths as part of their election strategy," said Rev Musa Zondi the IFP Secretary General and National Spokesperson. 

The Isolezwe newspaper today reports that Oscar Zondi, a spokesperson for the Zondi clan, confirmed that Inkosi Zondi had no links with the ANC. 

"Inkosi Zondi was never a member of the IFP either, which clearly proves that the ANC is using baseless information to fuel political intolerance," said Rev Zondi.

 Just recently IFP member Bhekisisa Mthethwa was shot in the head and chest outside Montclair railway station, while IFP Youth Brigade chairman Shadrack Dube was shot dead near his house in Phumlani township in Hluhluwe. These are just two IFP members of many that we have tragically lost over the years. 

"The IFP has taken note with concern the almost uniform pattern in the way some of our leaders have been assassinated. We believe that it is a systematic campaign to eliminate IFP leaders, derail our campaign and intimidate our supporters before the general election," said Rev Musa Zondi. 

The IFP also find it laughable that the ANC would claim that they have never disrupted any IFP gatherings. 

"The IFP's public meetings in KwaZulu Natal and elsewhere are routinely disrupted by rowdy ANC supporters. In fact many of our pre-elections events in KwaZulu Natal are never complete without disturbances and intimidation by local ANC supporters," said Rev Zondi. 

The IFP therefore dismiss all of these KZN ANC claims as irresponsible political rhetoric and nothing more than an exercise to attract free publicity for their event in the IFP stronghold of Nongoma this weekend. 

"As a party we have always respected the right of other political parties to communicate their message and for the citizens of this country to exercise their constitutional right of free voluntary political association. We therefore call on the ruling party to campaign by the same principles and to treat us with the same respect that we afford them. Lastly, we also urge the leadership of the KZN ANC to stop spreading unfounded and unjustified lies because it can only hamper free and fair elections," concluded Rev Zondi.