NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING 11th July ’98

RESOLUTION 1

National Council notes with concern that 92% of the budget of KwaZulu Natal is spent on salaries, transfer payments and fixed costs, and only 8% on productive service delivery.

Accordingly, National Council resolves:

1. To call on the IFP-led provincial government to initiate a programme of service delivery by reducing personnel and fixed costs by 7%, in order to free up R1.5 billion.
2. To call on the central Treasury to establish a properly funded retrenchment package for KwaZulu Natal and other provinces.
3. To re-affirm its commitment to less and effective government and its conviction that wealth creation is best left to private initiative in a social market economy.

RESOLUTION 2

National Council notes with concern that the absence of reliable statistics is hampering education delivery in KwaZulu Natal and therefore resolves:

1. To call on the Education Ministry in KwaZulu Natal to urgently finalise research to immediately create a reliable statistical base to facilitate efficient planning and to accurately determine staff members and deployment;
2. To call on the Education Ministry in KwaZulu Natal to urgently commission research by independent management consultants to investigate and report on the administrative management structure of the Department; and
3. To request the Ministry to suspend the implementation of eight regional offices pending the outcome of the research.

RESOLUTION 3

National Council expresses its condolences to the family of Chief Moshood Abiola after his sudden and tragic death.

National Council applauds the visit of the Deputy President Thabo Mbeki to Nigeria for talks with the Nigerian Head of State, General Abubakar, and endorses the message that the Deputy President conveyed to the Head of State.

RESOLUTION 4

The National Council of the IFP deplores the current tragic violence in the Richmond area of KwaZulu Natal which at this time appears to involve members of the ANC/SACP/COSATU Alliance and the UDM. Council, however, draws attention to the fact that members and supporters of the IFP in the area have long been victims of violence.

As the ANC was clearly a factor resulting in ANC/IFP peace talks throughout the Province, the IFP appeals to both parties to immediately initiate peace talks between themselves and outreach to bodies which can assist them in a process of reconciliation.

To this end, the IFP calls for exemplary leadership by all concerned and an end to Party politicking at the expense of innocent lives.

National Council also deplores the fact that the meeting held in the Richmond area attended by Ministers of the national government took place in the absence of the Minister of Safety & Security for KwaZulu Natal, Inkosi NJ Ngubane.