The Editor
The Witness
[email protected]
Dear Sir:
In his 30 September letter “Lost in the past” Thula Ndlovu paints an untruthful picture of the IFP and its leader.
Ndlovu claims that Prince Buthelezi being “the face of the party” works against the IFP. Untrue. Recently all structures of the Party reaffirmed their appeal to Buthelezi to lead the IFP forward. Even the unruly young “transformation team” that sowed division within our ranks has apologized, admitting that their program was hijacked by people with ill motives.
Ndlovu claims that serving as KwaZulu’s Chief Minister tainted Buthelezi’s political career, which ignores the fact that he did so at the behest of the ANC’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli and Mr Oliver Tambo. History contradicts Ndlovu’s claim that Buthelezi was some kind of National Party stooge.
Ndlovu also wrongly claims that the IFP recruits Zulus only, which ironically was propaganda instigated by the National Party against Inkatha in 1977 when it feared Inkatha’s rapid growth. Since inception the IFP’s membership has been representative of our diverse population. Narend Singh MP, an Indian, Henry Combrinck MPL, a white Afrikaner, and Chief Whip in the KZN Legislature and the late Joe Matthews, a scion of Tswana and Xhosa elites, and former IFP Deputy Minister in the National Government, is case in point.
The legacy of the IFP and its President cannot be reduced or discredited, even by people like Ndlovu who lack an understanding of our country’s history and politics. Over six decades Prince Buthelezi has received prestigious leadership awards from numerous countries. His leadership is still valuable and necessary for our country. Those are the facts.
Rev Musa Zondi MP
IFP Secretary-General and National Spokesperson