STATEMENT BY
PRINCE MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI MP
PRESIDENT OF THE INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY
The IFP is pleased to announce that our Deputy President, Inkosi Elphas Mzamo Buthelezi, will be joining our parliamentary Caucus as a Member of Parliament from 1 November 2017.
We are grateful to the Deputy President for the leadership he has provided as Mayor of the Zululand District Municipality. When the electorate returned the IFP to the helm in the District Municipality, in 2016, we knew that there would be a substantial amount of work to be done to restore efficiency and integrity in this important municipality. Our Deputy President agreed to provide his leadership, to ensure that the entire district would benefit from the IFP’s growth.
We feel confident that the District Municipality is now able to run efficiently, having addressed many of the challenges created under the previous coalition government. Through the IFP’s leadership, the local municipalities of Zululand are working well with the District Municipality.
The time is therefore right for the Deputy President to join our national leadership in Parliament. As other parties do, the IFP understands the value of having both the President and Deputy President in Parliament. This serves to strengthen the leadership a party is able to provide at a national level. As a party that serves the whole of South Africa, the IFP is pleased to have our Deputy President join our parliamentary caucus.
The IFP is currently engaged in the processes required by the Electoral Commission of South Africa to finalise the appointment of the new Mayor of Zululand. In the interim, our Deputy Mayor, Councillor Kunene, will serve as Acting Mayor of the Zululand District Municipality.
I and the IFP Caucus now look forward to working with the Deputy President in Parliament, for the benefit of our nation.