IFP PRESS STATEMENT BY: 
IFP NEC

23rd June 2008

We have called this press conference as the NEC of the IFP in order to express our horror and disgust at the inflammatory statements that were made by Mr Julius Malema, President of the ANCYL, during the June 16 commemoration rally in the Free State, to the effect that they are prepared to fight and kill in defence of Mr Zuma. 

We want to express our extreme condemnation of these inflammatory statements because they are contrary to the tenor in which our Constitution is written providing for constitutional democracy and promoting and protecting human rights for all. 

We call upon Mr Malema to stop blaming the media that his statement was quoted out of context but instead to act as a responsible leader and withdraw such unbecoming statements and apologise unconditionally to the whole of South Africa for his politically ill-advised outburst.  If Mr Malema fails to do this we will have no option but to refer the matter to the Human Rights Commission for action. 

We also want to express our horror at the reported statements by the same Julius Malema at the rally of the Young Communist League in Durban where he again is reported to have called on the crowds to denounce the honour and good name of our leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.  Mr Malema was reported to have led the crowds in shouting the slogans “down with Mangosuthu Buthelezi down” and “away with Mangosuthu Buthelezi down”. 

We think that these statements by Mr Malema fly in the face of all the usual assertions by leaders of the ANC in the Province of KwaZulu Natal that they respect Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi as a leader and for his contribution in the struggle for liberation.  This statement by Mr Malema does not auger well for the promotion of the spirit of peaceful co-existence and reconciliation between the ANC and the IFP which we are committed to. 

We also want to express our total dismay at the similar statement which was reported to have been made by Mr Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of Cosatu, over the weekend in which he reportedly endorsed the statement of Mr Malema and threatened that they too were prepared to lay down their lives and kill in defence of Mr Zuma. 

These in our judgment are not statements of respected leaders of important organisations in our community.  We condemn these statements especially because they also undermine the rule of law and the basic tenets of constitutional democracy and human rights.  Leaders of the ANC and the tripartite alliance have always rightly demanded that Mr Zuma, the President of the ANC, deserves to have his day in court in order to clear his name against the charges which have been made against him. 

It is therefore incumbent upon all self-respecting and responsible leaders not to undermine the rule of law and institutions underpinning our democracy.  We should all allow the law to take its course. 

The IFP NEC will also be referring the inflammatory statements made by Mr Vavi to the HRC for investigation and we call upon the leadership of the ANC to reign in leaders like Mr Julius Malema and Mr Zwelinzima Vavi with immediate effect before much damage is done to our constitutional democracy, in order to avoid heightening tensions and confrontation a few months before the general elections. 

We call upon all peace loving South Africans to condemn the unbecoming statements of these leaders and bring pressure to bear on them to withdraw them and to apologise unconditionally. 

We also want to express our concerns at the distorted reports about the march against the renaming of Mangosuthu Highway which also protested against the Grade 12 History book, which was organised by the people of Durban over the weekend.  What concerns us are the unfounded allegations of violence which is claimed to have accompanied what was effectively a very peaceful march.