NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING 17 March 2002

The National Council of the IFP was shocked to receive from reliable sources alarming information about a new plot to assassinate key leaders of the IFP in the Nongoma area. Included in the hit list are Mr Albert Mncwango, MP, the National Organiser of the IFP, Prince Gideon Zulu, KwaZulu Natal Minister of Social Welfare & Population Development, Mr Mangisi Buthelezi and Mr Gazu, both leaders of local IFP branches in the Nongoma area.

Detailed information reveals that snipers have been recruited and a price of R40,000 has been offered by certain high-ranking leaders of a certain political party vying for political control of the Province of KwaZulu Natal. These assassins have apparently been supplied with four vehicles that are utilised to monitor movements of their targets in Durban, Ulundi and Nongoma areas. National Council is further informed that the would-be assassins have been instructed to carry out these murders before the Easter week-end.

National Council is justifiably concerned at the similarities of this plot with that which was laid for the assassination of the late Mr Joseph Sikhonde, former Mayor of Nongoma, who was murdered in June 2000. National Council is convinced that the plot to assassinate its leaders in Nongoma is hatched by those who regard these leaders of the IFP as obstacles to the ambitions of a certain political Party making inroads in this constituency.

National Council wishes to issue a very strong warning that if these assassinations are carried out, KwaZulu Natal will be plunged into deep civil strife and bloodshed once again.