NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING 18th & 19th July ’98

RESOLUTION 1 Management of the Economy and a New Economic Deal

1. The people of South Africa are quite correctly deeply concerned about the present state of the economy, pervasive poverty, rising unemployment, rapidly declining job opportunities and the fact that our money depreciates daily because of inflation and the deteriorating exchange rate of the Rand against the world’s hard currencies;
2. we therefore note the growing public realisation that the next Government elected in May 1999, must take firm control of the economy without indulging in any ambivalent and mixed signals which have thus far characterised ANC/SACP/COSATU economic policies and programmes. We pledge that the IFP will not shirk from making and keeping to the tough decisions which must be made and sustained to promote economic prosperity;
3. we believe that the next Government must heed the many warnings of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who has repeatedly urged the country to move beyond GEAR to adopt hard economic options which will go all the way in jump-starting economic recovery, and accelerating economic growth, even at the cost of having to endure short-term sacrifices;
4. the country can no longer ignore that the centre of Johannesburg, once the main financial centre of the continent, is now dying under a wave of crime. Conference registers alarm that many of our business leaders are seeking investment and opportunities abroad which they no longer value in South Africa, causing a drain of brains, capital and resources. This, tragically, is the direct consequence of the weak management of the economy coupled with rising crime, exacerbated by totally ineffective safety and security policies.

RESOLUTION 2 Political Violence and Intimidation

1. The IFP urges all political parties to make an unqualified commitment to ensuring that the next elections are free from violence and intimidation, not only on polling day but for the entire period of the run-up to the elections and thereafter;
2. Conference observes that in the recent tragic history of political violence in South Africa, the ANC/SACP/COSATU alliance have been a common denominator in the majority of incidents. This view is reinforced by the current appalling violence in Richmond which Conference unreservedly condemns and expresses its deepest sympathy to all those who are suffering and have lost their loved ones;
3. we therefore urge all Parties in KwaZulu Natal to agree to adhere to a strict code of conduct regulating election campaign activities and to seek independent mediation when necessary;
4. believing negotiation is the only way through which disputes should be resolved, Conference appeals to the ANC and the UDM to immediately enter into peace talks;
5. we further appeal to the ANC (and now request the UDM) to abide by an ANC/IFP agreement reached on January 29th, 1991 banning any type of “killing talk”;
6. Conference notes that decisions by ANC national government Ministers and officials to hold meetings in Richmond in the absence of the Minister of Safety & Security, KwaZulu Natal, Inkosi NJ Ngubane, are divisive and provocative.

RESOLUTION 3 Criminality and Social Order Conference believes that:

1. crime is threatening the economic and social fabric of our society and is regrettably flourishing as a result of government ineptitude;
2. we note evidence of an insurrectional climate within the defence force and police service which compounds the problem and call for immediate and decisive action to reverse this rot and promote professional services of the highest calibre;
3. we further deplore the culture of lawlessness, lack of discipline, rebellion, endemic corruption, indolence and complacency pervading many segments of our society which each in their own way fuel criminality;
4. we call for strong Government which will go to the root of the problems of criminality and which will promote throughout South Africa a culture of discipline and respect for law and order and authority;
5. Conference pledges that a future IFP government will be tough on crime and be seen to be tough. We believe the national government is perceived to be weak and afraid of certain constituencies and in turn this is causing the current rise in criminality and subsequent social instability;
6. Conference believes that in the fight against crime the time has come to be as ruthless as the criminals terrorising our citizens. Ruthless with facts and deeds. Those politically responsible for the present situation should be held democratically accountable for their poor performance and failure to adequately secure the safety and security of the citizens of our country. Furthermore, it is time that the ineffective action of the Ministry of Safety and Security be thoroughly scrutinised.

RESOLUTION 4 The IFP’s Role in the Electoral Process

1. Conference is committed to securing an IFP electoral victory not only for the sake of the Party but in order to empower all the hard-working people of goodwill and sound morality of South Africa;
2. in its participation in the elections the IFP intends to bring into the national debate bread-and-butter issues to enable the people of South Africa to decide for themselves whether, for the next five years, they wish more of the same lack of delivery, incompetence and ambivalence, or they wish to send out a clear message that they want a better Government which strengthens delivery and takes no nonsense from anyone – namely an IFP-inspired Government;
3. we make a commitment to bring honesty and integrity into the electoral process, and in all IFP activities including the choice of candidates on our lists. The Party will strive to maintain the highest standards of political accountability, transparency and integrity to prove that the IFP is the Party people can trust;
4. Conference endorses its President’s view that in politics trust can not be bought on credit. We give thanks for his impeccable track record of consistency and coherency and taking positions which he knew to be correct in the interests of the country even when they were deemed to be unpopular at the time. The Party now takes into the election the proof that subsequent events have shown his wisdom and courage to be correct.

RESOLUTION 5 Statesmanship of the IFP President

1. Conference thanks Almighty God for the leadership it continues to receive from its President, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, whose wisdom, caring compassion, inspiring personality and boundless charisma are a source of motivation and strength for all IFP members;
2. we are pleased that the whole of South Africa has come to recognise that the country needs the leadership of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and that even his most bitter detractors of the past have now come to appreciate his statesmanship, administrative skills, Cabinet contributions, and courage and resolve to stand by what is right even against powerful adverse odds;
3. Conference recognises that the contribution that Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has made and must make to the building of a new South Africa is greater than the role he has and will continue to perform as the Leader of the Party and is pleased to share its Leader with all the people of goodwill within and outside Government, in order to achieve a type of national consensus on which future prosperity and stability can be founded;
4. we register with pleasure and satisfaction that on numerous occasions Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has been appointed as acting President of the country, in due recognition of his integrity, capabilities, seniority and international and domestic stature.

RESOLUTION 6 IFP-ANC relations

1. Conference wishes to leave no stone unturned or effort spared to normalise political dynamics in South Africa and within that context its relationship with the ANC;
2. the Party appreciates the offers made by high-ranking ANC leaders and the statements made by President Mandela in respect of a possible merger between the IFP and the ANC and fully endorses the response given to them by the President of the IFP, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, when he spoke at the opening of Parliament in response to President Mandela;
3. we remain aware that the priority of normalising relations in South Africa should not obfuscate nor gloss over the profound policy differences between the ANC and the IFP. The IFP body politic will not forget a long chain of broken promises, including the issue of international mediation and promises made to traditional leaders;
4. Conference expresses its appreciation to the President of the ANC and Deputy President of South Africa, Mr TM Mbeki, for attending our Conference and for his words of goodwill seeking mutual tolerance, respect, reconciliation and national unity, which we totally endorse.

RESOLUTION 7 A Genuine Plan for Social Recovery

Conference recognises that the IFP must inspire the future Government which will finally attend to the many outstanding social and economic issues, including that of poverty, fundamental imbalances in the distribution of land, economic power and employment opportunities;

1. we believe that the post 1999 election Parliament will need to negotiate a new social and economic order which, while striving to broaden the country’s economic base and accelerate economic growth, will bring about a more equitable distribution of land, wealth, economic power and job opportunities;
2. Conference is committed to the next Parliament making a special commitment to promoting vocational and technical training and assisting small and micro economic enterprises, while promoting a nationwide culture of self- help and self-reliance to ensure that economic growth and prosperity are driven by a grassroots collegial effort, rather than an exclusively top-down approach driven by big business;
3. as an example of pursuing every development opportunity, Conference endorses the resolution of National Council which fully supported the relocation of the existing Durban International Airport to King Shaka International Airport at La Mercy.

RESOLUTION 8 – Mandates to party structures to secure an electoral victory

Conference resolves that:

1. In conducting the election campaign all IFP structures, leaders, candidates and organisers must give a clear example of the type of discipline, integrity, hard work and tireless commitment that the IFP wishes to promote throughout society;
2. candidates on all IFP lists must be carefully scrutinised and chosen on the basis of their constituency support to ensure that we elect those who represent people, or on the basis of their special skills coupled with proven integrity and tested dedication to the Party;
3. in its preparation for elections the IFP must prioritise the training of party agents to be deployed in all counting and voting stations in order to prevent next year’s election results from being the product of trickery or political manipulation, and urges all IFP activists to carefully study the electoral regulations and to understand the rights and obligations within the electoral process;
4. all IFP members must canvass the support of new constituencies, to which end members must be conversant with IFP policies and able to convey to others the IFP message of hope, good government and a sound social order;
5. the Party demands the highest standards from its representatives and is committed to enforcing its newly adopted code of conduct to the fullest without fear, favour or prejudice, both during the run-up to elections and at any time thereafter, for the struggle for morality in public offices requires constant vigilance;
6. all IFP structures, leaders and members concentrate activities and spare no effort to register voters and assist people to obtain identity documentation required for registration, reminding people that if they do not register they will lose the right to vote in respect of the next election.

RESOLUTION 9 The Revolution of Goodwill

1. Conference urges all members to continue to implement the Party’s revolution of goodwill in their communities and work-places.
2. All members should constantly demonstrate by their actions and deeds that the IFP is a caring Party which is concerned with improving the lives of the poorest of the poor, by developing programmes to assist the socially disadvantaged, the elderly, the sick and the indigent and those who are jobless.

RESOLUTION 10 Deputy National Chairman

Conference unanimously voted to approve the decision by National Council at its meeting on March 29, 1998, that Mr LPHM Mtshali replace Dr S.E. Mzimela as Deputy National Chairman following a vote of no confidence in Dr. S.E. Mzimela.

RESOLUTION 11 Amendment to the IFP constitution

Conference ratifies the following Resolution adopted by National Council at its meeting on July 11, 1998: “No member of the Party elected as an office bearer shall simultaneously hold office at branch, constituency, district, regional, provincial and national levels. A member who is elected to an office higher than that at branch level shall vacate a lower office previously held. Should the previous incumbent of a higher Party position vacate his/her position, he/she shall be eligible to hold office at any level of the Party’s structures.”