Address by IFP National Chairperson, Ms Zanele Magwaza

We are gathered here today to celebrate - to celebrate the continued growth of our Party in spite of doomsayers and prophets of gloom who all but predicted the death of the IFP with the foundation of NADECO.  And no matter how many times we in the IFP argued that NADECO would not stand the test of time because of the weak foundation upon which it was built, news headlines and opinion pieces could hardly withhold the glee with which they reported the circling of vultures around the carcass of the IFP. And yet here we are today gathered to celebrate the exact opposite. We are here to celebrate life. We are here today to celebrate growth. We are gathered here today to celebrate continued commitment and to reinforce our efforts to ensure that our fledgling democracy serves all our people.

At the risk of being politically incorrect we in the IFP have gathered here today to shout out a huge "we told you so!" to the media and all those who predicted the demise of the IFP. We told you that political parties born out of the immoral floor-crossing legislation could not and would not stand the test of time.  And not even a year down the line we witness the complete disintegration of NADECO.  We told you that those members of the IFP who left to join NADECO would return to the fold because we truly believed that they were the victims of disinformation.  And here they are today.

The IFP is based on Christian principles. The story of the prodigal son is the governing factor in the way in which Christians are supposed to deal with issues of forgives and conflict within the Christian family. And we in the IFP consider ourselves a family. In the story of the prodigal son one son leaves home in his quest for something greater, following I suppose the idiom that grass is always greener on the other side, but returns home seeking forgiveness and reconciliation with his family after having learnt some bitter lessons about life. We all know of the joy of his father at the return of the his lost son and how he welcomes him home and restores to him full honour and glory - its almost like he was never gone at all.

Today we extend our warmest welcome to our brothers and sisters who have joined our fold from NADECO. We welcome you without hesitation or reservation. We say to you we will not judge you for having left. Instead we admire your ability to admit your mistake and once again reclaim your rightful place in the family of the IFP. We look forward to working with you again. We know that together we can make the IFP an even better place to be.

Our warmest welcoming of our returning brothers and sisters will continue in the coming months. And to our brothers and sisters still remaining in NADECO wandering in the wilderness we say, when you have realised that you have been duped we will welcome you back with open arms. We know that people learn from their mistakes and this little footnote in our history has only strengthened us all and will create stronger bonds in future.

Today we celebrate not only the return of NADECO members we also celebrate the recruitment of ANC members to the IFP. You are indeed very welcome to the IFP.  Know that in the IFP there is always space for those who want to work hard for the upliftment of South Africa.

The fact that more than three-hundred of you were drawn to us is vindication of our dismissal of the obituaries of our Party that have been repeatedly written by many jaundiced journalists - some have even gone so far as to say that it is time that we close up shop; that our role and mission in politics in South Africa has been exhausted. Today we stand here together as proof that our commitment and struggle for our cause of truly representative government for all the people of our country is far from over. Today we prove to our detractors that we are here to stay; to spread our message to the people of South Africa - that they deserve better and that we are the only viable alternative political force in our country which is committed to serving and providing for all South Africans, not only the select few or those that voted for or supported our Party.

Today we are not only celebrating you all joining our cause but we commit ourselves to continue our efforts to ensure that all South Africans benefit from the political liberation of our country. We cannot say that we are truly free as South Africans when we still face poverty, high levels of unemployment, unacceptable levels of crime and the continued HIV/Aids pandemic.

The IFP takes seriously the challenge of ensuring that South Africans remain interested in what is going on around them. We have fought too long and too hard to produce a generation of political cynics. Political cynicism breeds political apathy, which, in my view is the HI virus of democracy. And even though we may seem justified in throwing our hands up in despair and saying what is the use of it all; we still have no jobs, the HIV/AIDS infection rate is not decreasing and crime is not abating, so what is the use of being involved as it does not change our situation? Remember you can make a difference.

You can make a difference by voting for the IFP to get into power. The ANC has been in power for more than a decade now and South Africa still doing battle with the same set of problems we were doing battle with ten years ago. Surely the time has come for change. Do not be a victim. Change the people in charge of national government and I guarantee you that your situation will change.

We reinforce our commitment to continue building towards 2009 - towards victory for our cause; towards victory for the true liberation of all South Africans. We will continue to build on our record of honour, service and delivery and not make hollow promises but face the reality of our situation and provide real lasting solutions and opportunities for the benefit of all our people.

When we leave here today we will continue to work in and with our communities to address our individual and communal concerns; we are not a Party driven by expensive promotional campaigns, making empty promises with huge fan fare - we are driven by reality and practicality to address the needs of our people. Our vote will not rely on promises but on delivery.


Thank you.