IFP leaders say social media poster, which shows a slate that will challenge the current leadership, is fake
The KwaZulu-Natal IFP provincial chairperson, Thamsanqa Ntuli has dismissed a poster circulating on social media, which suggests that he will contest for the deputy president’s position in the coming party elective conference, as fake.
Although the party has not yet decided on the conference date due to the ongoing branch verification process, tense informal lobbying is said to have begun ahead of the opening of the nomination process. In the poster, Ntuli is said to be lobbied by supporters to deputise Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, however, Ntuli distanced himself from the slate, calling it fake.
Reacting on Sunday, Ntuli said: Into engekho lena (there is no such thing).
However, he refused to be drawn into discussing whether he would accept the position if nominated.
After the party announced earlier this year that it would hold its elective conference towards the end of the year, there were rumours that Ntuli would challenge the current party president Velenkosini Hlabisa for the position. Ntuli later dismissed the rumours, saying he was unavailable to run for the position.
Buthelezi who is currently the deputy party president and Minister of Public Service Administration under the Government of National Unity also played down the suggestion of voting slates, saying the spokesperson or the party president will call a press conference to address the issue.
“We are a responsible party, accountable to the public, so the spokesperson issues statements from time to time, or the president will call a press conference to take you into our confidence. As to why the media would want to run with such things spoken on social media, I can’t understand,” said Buthelezi.
He too refused to answer whether he would accept the presidential nomination or not, if branches nominate him.
Also on the list, according to the social media poster, is current Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi who is being lobbied for the Secretary-General position. He described the circulation of the poster as ‘elements who are threatened by the party’s growth under Hlabisa’, adding that the party’s agenda is set by structures, not via social media.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za