NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING 31 July 2005
The National Council of the Inkatha Freedom Party, which met in Umhlanga on Sunday 31st July, 2005, unanimously adopted the following resolutions:
1. CLAIMS OF “INTERNAL DICTATORSHIP” WITHIN THE IFP BY THE NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON OF THE IFP, DR ZIBA JIYANE
Noting:
i. That Dr Ziba Jiyane’s remarks that the IFP is operating as “an internal dictatorship” last weekend has brought the name of the Party into disrepute and has fuelled widespread perceptions of discord and divisions within the Party;
ii. That Dr Jiyane’s speech has been universally regarded as a bid for the leadership of the Party;
iii. That Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was unanimously elected to serve a five-year term as Party President at the 2004 Annual General Conference;
iv. Dr Jiyane’s further claim that IFP National Council is an “undemocratic body” and is not legally constituted;
v. Dr Jiyane’s invocation of Resolution 4.6 and 4.7 (Resolution on Regeneration and Renewal) adopted at the 2004 Annual General Conference which resolves “to ratify and approve the amendment of the IFP Constitution to pave the way to the reform of our National Council which will ensure that governing body of our Party is more directly representative of our grassroots constituency and has closest contact with our people on the ground” and “to support the proposed reform to make the National Council smaller to allow for quicker and more streamlined decision-making” to substantiate his pretext;
vi. That the same Resolution “applauds and commends the President of the IFP for.spearheading the renewal and regeneration in the Party” and “mandate(s) the IFP President to continue the process of change and renewal”;
vii. That a proposal has been drawn up to implement said amendment, which Dr Jiyane is aware of;
viii. That there was not a prescribed timeframe to implement said amendment and nor did this Resolution imply that the National Council, in its present constitution, lacked legitimacy;
ix. That Dr Jiyane’s remarks and disloyal behaviour make his continued participation in the life of the Party untenable;
Resolves:
i. To condemn and censor Dr Ziba Jiyane’s remarks which demonstrate a flagrant disregard for the name of the IFP which contravenes Resolution 3.6 (Unity) of the 2004 Annual General Conference calling “on all members of the IFP who have grievances to seek internal remedies without attacking the Party in public” as well as the spirit and provisions of the Party’s Constitution and ethos;
ii. To express confusion and bewilderment that Dr Jiyane has chaired the National Council, which he describes as not being “legally constituted”, over the last twelve months and who has even apologised on record to the National Council for discussing its deliberations with the media;
iii. To call on Dr Jiyane to publicly explain this disjuncture in his conduct and to stop posturing behind convoluted semantics and state his intentions honestly;
iv. To condemn Dr Jiyane’s undemocratic and deeply divisive bid for the leadership of the IFP;
v. To express full support for the leadership of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who provides a class of leadership which is without parallel in South Africa;
vi. To suspend Dr Jiyane as the Party Chairperson with immediate effect and refer the case to the Party’s Disciplinary Committee and prohibit him from participating in any activities of the Party pending the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
2. CONDUCT OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE KZN IFP YOUTH BRIGADE, MR S’PHAMANDLA NGCOBO
Noting:
That the conduct of Mr S’phamandla Ngcobo, the Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal IFP Youth Brigade, has brought the name of the Party into disrepute by holding the SADESMO rally in defiance of a Party Executive instruction not to proceed:
Resolves :
To suspend Mr S’phamandla Ngcobo as the Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal IFP Youth Brigade with immediate effect and refer the case to the Party’s Disciplinary Committee and prohibit him from participating in any activities of the Party pending the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
