‘Exercise restraint, tolerance and respect’: Hlabisa condemns political attack on IFP volunteers in KZN

Hlabisa has condemned the violent assault on three IFP volunteers. Three months before the local government elections, IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa has called for a spirit of tolerance among rival political parties in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This comes after some of the party’s volunteers were assaulted on Sunday while putting up posters in the area of KwaNyuswa, south of the province. The party confirmed that police are investigating the matter. In a media briefing on Monday, Hlabisa told reporters the attackers told IFP volunteers they did not want the party to campaign in that area. LIVE interactive map, latest news, multimedia and more! View Map “This is completely unacceptable. We therefore call on all political parties, political activists and communities to exercise restraint, tolerance and respect. “Elections must be a contest of ideas, policies and leadership-not a contest of intimidation and violence,” said Hlabisa. Malema on no-go areas Hlabisa is not the only politician to express concern about political violence and no-go areas in KwaZulu-Natal. The EFF’s Julius Malema was in Pietermaritzburg several days ago telling his supporters to be brave and campaign for the EFF. “There is no one that will stop me here, not even the IFP can stop me… I can never be intimidated by small boys and small girls. If they want to know who I am, they must ask Donald Trump. “If we are scared of IFP, we are going to be intimidated, and our votes are going to be stolen. If we are scared of the ANC and the MK, then let’s forget our votes will be stolen, but with your ground forces who are not scared, we are going to sit with them on the same table,” he said. IFP readiness for elections Meanwhile, Hlabisa said his party has submitted its councillor candidate list and proportional representation list to the IEC on time, before the August 28 deadline. “We will be fielding 3 188 candidates across municipalities. This will be 1 922 ward candidates and 1 266 Proportional Representative candidates. This represents significant growth from 2021, when the IFP fielded 2 570 candidates across 105 municipalities. “Our expansion beyond KwaZulu-Natal is particularly significant. The number of councillor candidates contesting elections outside our traditional stronghold demonstrates that the IFP continues to grow across the country; it also reinforces a point we have consistently made: the IFP is not a regional party.” Hlabisa said his party will launch its election manifesto later this month at the Princess Magogo stadium in Durban. “We will present an original, clear and credible alternative plan addressing the real daily needs of our communities. We will present a manifesto characterised by ethical leadership, accountable government, effective service delivery and respect for our communities,” he said. Mayoral candidates He also announced that the deputy minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, will be the party’s mayoral candidate for the City of eThekwini. “He previously served as the National Chairperson of the IFP Youth Brigade and has been a Member of the National Assembly for 15 years, since 2012,” he said.