Address By
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP
Founder and President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party
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ENGLISH VERSION
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The Directors of Programmes; the Reverend Father who opened our Rally with devotions; the Hon Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa MPL, President of the IFP; Members of the Royal Family present; the Hon Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi MP, Deputy President of the IFP; Amakhosi present; our Secretary-General, the Hon Siphosethu Ngcobo MP; our National Chairperson, the Hon Mr Blessed Gwala MPL; the Deputy National Chairperson, the Hon. Mrs Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa MPL; our Treasurer-General, the Hon Mr Narend Singh MP; the National Chairperson of the Women’s Brigade, Princess Phumzile Buthelezi MPL; the Hon. Deputy Secretary-General, His Worship Mr Mangaqa Mncwango; the Deputy Chairperson of the Youth Brigade, Mr Sanele Zondo; the Honourable Chief Operational Officer, Dr Albert Mokoena, who is also the Chairperson of the Committee of our two MMS, who are working in the City of Johannesburg; Hon Ms Nonhlanhla Makhubo and the Hon Mr Mlungisi Mabaso; our Honourable General-Secretary of Administration, Mr Mfanje Mbango; the Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, the Hon Mr Bonginkosi Dlamini MPL; the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Chairperson, His Worship Mr Thamsanqa Ntuli; their Worship the Mayors present, our Honourable Speakers and Deputy Mayors; and all our Councillor Candidates; our comrades from other Provinces; supporters of the IFP, comrades all and fellow elephants!
It is remarkable to think that just one month ago the IFP gathered at Greyville Race Course in Durban to launch our national election manifesto. This campaign has been short, but very intense. The implications of Covid-19 and the suddenness with which the election date was decided, launched South Africa into a brief window of opportunity.
In this short time, we as political representatives have had the duty of reaching as many people as possible with the IFP’s message. We have done this because we know that without the intervention of a leadership of integrity at this critical point, governance in South Africa is headed for disaster.
As the Founder of the IFP, I know the character and the legacy of this Party. I know how hard we have worked over 46 years to serve the people of South Africa and to secure social and economic justice for all. I know that we have done it hand in hand with you, building strong partnerships that have lasted because they are built on trust. Working together with you, the IFP has strengthened democracy, equality and social cohesion. We are the Party you can trust.
I want therefore to thank our President, as well as every leader and office bearer of the IFP, every constituency and every branch, every staff member and every volunteer who has helped take this campaign to South Africa. On Monday, when the electorate goes to vote, may they remember what you have told them as you went door to door. May they think about the IFP’s track record and consider the IFP’s legacy. May they be influenced by the integrity we have shown in governance.
As the people of South Africa make their mark for the IFP on Monday, may they do so with hope rising in their hearts.
In these times of economic distress, unemployment and corruption, hope is a rare commodity. I am not talking about the blind hope that maybe, just maybe, politicians will do what they have promised to do, despite breaking their promises for 27 years. I am talking about hope that is built on evidence – the evidence that good governance is possible, because it is happening already and has been happening for years in places where the IFP leads.
I am proud of the IFP’s track record. Many times I have spoken about the foundation we laid through Inkatha when we administered the erstwhile KwaZulu Government. I have spoken about our successes in meeting people’s needs while creating opportunity, development and security. And I have reminded you that we did it without a hint of corruption or a whiff of mismanagement. Our commitment to absolute integrity was the basis on which we were able to do all that we did for the people of KwaZulu.
When the IFP took the helm in KwaZulu-Natal with the 1994 elections, we already knew how to govern with integrity and skill. Not only had we been administering governance for 19 years, but we already had experience of working in a non-racial, non-discriminatory government. Because, under my leadership, the KwaZulu Natal Joint Executive Authority had been birthed almost a decade before democracy.
Inkatha’s struggle for liberation was not just about destroying apartheid or winning the right to vote. We had been working consistently, through practical interventions, to birth a system of governance based on equality, justice and inclusivity. While the ANC’s mission-in-exile was calling on our country’s youth to abandon their education and burn down their schools in protest, Inkatha was building classrooms, driving youth development programmes and mentoring young people to become the leaders of a liberated South Africa.
We were also building evidence, bit by bit, to prove that South Africa could indeed break out of the mould of apartheid and create a non-racial, non-discriminatory system. We did this by convening South Africans of all race groups in forums like the Buthelezi Commission and the KwaZulu/Natal Indaba, and in countless prayer meetings, to seek a shared commitment and to adopt a clear blueprint for achieving equality.
The IFP’s legacy of pursuing social cohesion and social justice goes back long before democracy. We understood then, as we understand now, that the citizens of this country have a shared future. There is no future for some, when others are left behind. We will never achieve complete freedom when there are still families suffering the injustices of poverty, a lack of opportunity and the absence of hope.
This is why the IFP’s message is always a message of unity. We refuse to pit South Africans against each other. It has been painful to see some of our opponents doing exactly this during the campaign for municipal elections. Some parties have driven a deeper wedge between race groups in South Africa, for the sake of gaining votes. But the future cannot be built on the basis of fear and divisions, for that kind of future will only bring pain.
I have never been one to point to the campaigns of other parties and tear them to shreds. I believe in campaigning on the basis of one’s own hard work and accepting responsibility where things go wrong. But there are a few incidents from this election campaign that I feel we need to talk about, because the electorate needs to know what is being said and done, and what it would mean if we strengthened the wrong voices on Monday.
The biggest problem is undoubtedly the fact that empty promises have been made, yet again, to lure people to vote. Social media has been abuzz with clips of the ruling Party making promises, and then backtracking, saying they never really said they would do this, or that, for the people. One could go back on every election campaign since 1994 and look at the numbers alone to see how many promises have been broken.
“We will create a million jobs!” they said. “We will build a million houses! We’ll eradicate pit toilets in the next six months! We’ll stop the loadshedding! We’ll get rid of those found to be corrupt!” These promises have proven to be empty, for they have never been fulfilled.
Across our country we have dysfunctional municipalities wasting billions of Rands while communities go without water, electricity and sanitation. Yet still we hear about tender fraud and jobs being given to pals. It is time to stop the rot.
Another serious problem that has come up in this campaign, as it has in every campaign before, is the problem of political killings. Three years ago, the Moerane Commission of Inquiry into politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal revealed the shift towards intra-party violence; that is, violence within a political party aimed at securing positions, income and the chance to influence tenders. Books like “War Party” by Greg Ardé have increasingly shone the spotlight on the ruling Party’s internal political war.
It was this very internal political war that unleashed devastation on KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July, when the arrest of a former President sparked coordinated efforts to bring this country to its knees. Over the past month, several councillor candidates have been murdered while many others have gone into hiding under threats to their lives. Why would a councillor’s life be threatened? Not because they serve the community’s needs, but because those who are corrupt and devious see in councillor positions the chance for self-enrichment.
The spectre of violence has haunted the ruling Party in this campaign. While one day they were celebrating their former leader’s release from prison, the next day their disbanded military wing was holding their own Ministers hostage in a hotel. Voters need to wake up and realise that the ruling Party will destroy KwaZulu-Natal if they win this province again. The evidence is before us, and it is blatantly clear.
I take no pleasure in saying these things. You know that I grew up in the ANC Youth League and that my uncle, Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme, founded the ANC in 1912. You know that Inkosi Albert Luthuli was my mentor and that I worked closely with the ANC’s leadership in exile, fulfilling the mandate of leading KwaZulu in order to undermine apartheid’s system from within. I had a life-long friendship with Mandela, despite his Party turning against me when I refused to engage the armed struggle or support the destruction of South Africa’s economy.
I do not speak lightly when I speak about the ruling Party’s descent into the mire of corruption. It is not mere politicking. I say these things because South Africa needs to know. We cannot survive a corrupt leadership. The signs are already there that if we continue on this path, we face economic collapse, deeper poverty and greater civil unrest.
I have spoken strongly during this campaign about the certainty of the social grant system failing, if we stick with the economic policies of the ruling Party. Government is spending more than our country produces, which means we are going backwards instead of growing. Moreover, it is borrowing money just to service increasing levels of debt, without having any way of paying it off.
Any economist will tell you that the maths does not add up. South Africa is becoming poorer under this Government and if we keep moving in the same direction, the social grant system will collapse. It is just not sustainable. This will be a disaster for millions of families who rely entirely on a social grant to stay afloat.
It is unconscionable in these circumstances that the leader of the EFF should call South Africans “lazy” and “boring” for having too few children. During this election campaign he has told people that the country is awash with money and has promised that SASSA will support everyone, so we should go ahead and have ten babies each. This message is grossly irresponsible, for it carries the blatant lie that our country’s economy can support a burgeoning welfare state.
No Government can keep giving out money to more and more people when no money is coming in. And the worst part of this dangerous lie is that our people desperately need social grants. Under the present conditions of high unemployment and widespread poverty, there is no choice but to assist families through social grants. My government of KwaZulu was the first to extend any kind of grant to anyone in South Africa, so I understand the value of this lifeline.
But I also understand that any sane government will work hard to balance the social grant system with enhanced economic growth, through investment in skills development, through stronger industrial bases, and through labour laws that prioritise jobs for South Africans.
That is what we did, as Inkatha, when we governed; and it worked. We focussed on growing economic stability to sustain social assistance to all those in need. And when we governed KwaZulu-Natal for the first ten years of democracy, the IFP used the same strategy of ploughing into economic development to support the provision of social assistance.
The IFP’s way of doing things works, because it protects the long-term future and builds an inheritance for the next generation. What is the use of this generation receiving a social grant that is barely enough to provide adequate nutrition, when the next generation is going to starve? We need to do the right thing now. And the right thing is empowering this generation and the next towards self-help and self-reliance.
That means equipping people, all people, whether rural or urban, young or old, with skills that can generate an income. It also means investing in food production, ensuring that families are equipped and supported to become subsistence farmers, producing enough to eat and extra to sell.
This has been my message for more than four decades. I have urged us to invest in food security and skills development. And through the IFP, we have done just that. But the good fruit of the IFP’s work needs to extended. We need to get IFP policies and IFP values into every municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, and throughout South Africa, to ensure that our country starts working again.
It is time for the IFP to take back KwaZulu-Natal. We have been a strong opposition and have proven our ability to get things done and make things work. But there is no more space for the ruling Party to keep failing the people. If the electorate keeps the ruling Party, hoping that the IFP can keep holding them accountable and fixing their mistakes, KwaZulu-Natal might well never recover.
But this will depend on the people of this Province and them making the right decision to save this Province as it is gradually moving to absolute perdition.
We have reached a point where a massive change needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. It is all in the hands of the voters. It is all in your hands.
The IFP must be restored to leadership in KwaZulu-Natal. It is the only way to stop the rot and turn this province around. And as KwaZulu-Natal is restored to a functioning, stable and developing province, all of South Africa will see the hope that is the IFP.
I ask you therefore to strengthen the IFP through your vote. Make this election the turning point, not just for our province but for the entire country. Make this the election where the IFP takes back KwaZulu-Natal for the sake of us all. We have proven again and again that we know how to govern, and we govern with integrity. I could give you chapter and verse of the IFP’s successes in the municipalities we run. But in the end it comes down to the simple fact that the IFP is the only party underpinned by values you can trust.
Our values have not changed and our principles are uncompromised. This makes the IFP your strongest partner in getting South Africa to work. We are your partner in creating social justice. We are your partner in delivering quality services to every community. We are your partner in making South Africa safer, in protecting the vulnerable and fighting gender-based violence. The IFP is your partner in opening opportunities and equipping you to take hold of them with both hands.
It makes sense to vote IFP, because a vote for the IFP is a vote for good governance.
Over the past month, you have heard the IFP’s message. You have read our manifesto and talked with our leaders as we moved throughout South Africa. But we are not asking you to base your vote on the past month alone. Look at our track record. It is 46 years of service. 46 years of honest leadership as we built South Africa together.
Let us keep building, hand in hand, so that tomorrow will be a better day for every South African.
On Monday 1 November, get out and vote. Do what is right for you and your family. Vote IFP!
ISIZULU VERSION
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AbaQondisi boHlelo; uMfu uFata osivulele ngomthandazo; uMhlonishwa uMnu Velenkosini Hlabisa oyilungu lesiShayamthetho seSiFundazwe, onguMengameli we-IFP; amaLungu oMndeni waseNdlunkulu akhona; uMhlonishwa iNkosi uMzamo Buthelezi oyiLungu lePhalamende, oyiSekela likaMengameli we-IFP; Amakhosi akhona; uNobhala-Jikelele wethu, uMhlonishwa uSiphosethu Ngcobo, oyiLungu lePhalamende; uSihlalo wethu kaZwelonke, uMhloniswa uMnu Blessed Gwala, oyiLungu lesiShayamthetho seSifundazwe; iPhini likaSihlalo kaZwelonke uNkskz Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa, iLungu lesiShayamthetho seSifundazwe; uMgcini-mafa wethu uMhlonishwa uNarend Singh, oyiLungu lePhalamende; uSihlalo kaZwelonke woMbutho wabesiFazane, uMntwana uPhumzile Buthelezi, oyiLungu lesiShayamthetho seSifundazwe; uMhlonishwa iSekela likaNobhala Jikelele, uMhlonishwa iMeya uMnu Mangaqa Mncwango; iSekela likaSihlalo kaZwelonke woMbutho weNtsha, uMnu Sanele Zondo; uMhlonishwa uMphathi weZinhlelo zeQembu, uDokotela Albert Mokoena, nonguSihlalo weKomidi leZikhulu zikaMasipala waseGoli; uMhlonishwa Nksz Nonhlanhla Makhubo noMhlonishwa uMnu Mlungisi Mabaso; uMhlonishwa uNobhala-jiekele kwezoPhatha, uMnu Mfanje Mbango; uSihlalo weSifundazwe saseGauteng, uMhlonishwa uMnu Bonginkosi Dlamini, oyiLungu lesiShayamthetho seSifundazwe; uSihlalo weSifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali, uMhlonishwa iMeya uMnu Thamsanqa Ntuli; abaHlonishwa iziMeya ezikhona, abaHlonishwa oSomlomo, naMasekela eziMeya; namakhansela wonke akhona; bo-Comrade bethu enivela kuzo zonke iziFundazwe; abasekeli be-IFP,oComrade bonke kanye nezindlovu zonke.
Kwaze kwayisimanga ukucabanga nje ukuthi esikhathini esingange nyanga i-IFP yayibuthene eNkundleni yamaHhashi eGreyville, eThekwini mhlaka 30 Septhemba ukuzokwethula umkhankaso wethu kazwelonke wezethembiso zokhetho, lomkhankaso wawunomfutho namandla. Umthelela weKhovidi 19 ekunqumeni usuku ugcine ngokuhlinzeka iNingizimu Afrika ithuba elihle nelincane ukwenza konke ngokushesha.
Esikhathini esifushane thina njengabamele abantu kwezombusazwe saba nesibopho sokufinyelelisa umyalezo we-IFP, ezinkumbini ngezinkumbi zabantu, ngokushesha. Sikwenzile lokho ngoba sikuqonda ukuthi ngaphandle kokungenelela kobuholi obuqotho kulesikhathi esibucayi kangaka, ukubusa eNingizimu Afrika kulengela kwinhlekelele.
Njengomsunguli we-IFP, ngiyasiqonda isimilo nefa laleliQembu. Ngiyazi ukuthi sizikhandle kangakanani eminyakeni edlule engu-46 sisebenzela abantu baseNingizimu Afrika, ukucoshela bonke ubulungiswa kwezenhlalakahle nakwezomnotho. Ngiyakuqonda ukuthi sikwenze lokhu sibambisene nani, sakha ukubambisana okunamandla obungaqubukanga ngoba bakhelwe phezu kwesisekelo sokwethembana. Ukusebenza ngokubambisana nani, i-IFP iqinise intando yeningi, yaletha neqophelo eliphezulu lokwenza kanye noxhumano kwinhlalakahle. SiyiQembu ongalethemba.
Ngakho ngifisa ukuthokoza kuMhlonishwa uMengameli wethu, kanjalo nakuwo wonke umholi nesiphathimandla se-IFP, kuso sonke isiyingi nakulo lonke iziko, nawo wonke umuntu osebenza ehhovisi le-IFP kanye nevolontiya le-IFP ngokusisiza ukuba sidudule lenqola yomkhankaso kuwo wonke amagumbi amane eNingizimu Afrika. NgoMsombuluko mhlaka 1 Novemba ngenkathi bonke abanegunya lokuvota beyovota, sengathi bangakhumbula konke esibatshene khona ngenkathi singena indlu nendlu. Sengathi bangazindla ngomlando omuhle we-IFP, baphinde bacabangisise ngefa le-IFP. Sengathi bangathinteka ngokujulileyo, yibuqotho, esibukhombisile ekuphatheni.
Njengoba abantu baseNingizimu Afrika bazobe befaka uphawo lokuvota eduze kwe-IFP, bethi Zaka! Zaka! eduze kwendlovu ngoMsombuluko mhlaka 1 Novemba, sengathi bangakwenza lokho ngethemba eliqubukayo ezinhliziyweni zabo.
Kulezikhathi zokuba nexhala kwezomnotho, ukungacoshakali kwemisebenzi kanye nenkohlakalo, ithemba lifana nento ewusizo kepha eyivelakancane. Kangikhulumi ngethemba elingasho lutho, ukuthi mhlawumbe, mhlawumbe kungase, hhayi nje kuphela leli losombusazwe, ngale kokwehluleka ukufezai izethembiso zabo iminyaka engu-27. Ngikhuluma ngethemba elakhelwe phezu kwesisekelo esiyibufakazi obuqanda ikhanda ukuthi ukubusa ngempumelelo yinto enokwenzeka, njengoba bekwenzeka eminyakeni eminingi lapho i-IFP ihola khona.
Ngiyaziqhenya ngomlando omuhle we-IFP. Ezikhathini eziningi ngikhulumile ngesisekelo esasibeka ngokubakhona kweNkatha ngenkathi siphethe uHulumeni omdala waKwaZulu. Ngikhulumile ngempumelelo yethu ekuhlangabezeni izidingo zabantu ngenkathi sidala amathuba, sithuthukisa futhi siqikelela nokuphepha. Ngiphinde nganikhumbuza ukuthi sikwenze lokhu ngaphandle komkhondo wenkohlakalo, angisayiphathi eyephunga lokungenzi izinto ngendlela. Ukuzibophezela ukwenza konke ngobuqotho bekuyisisekelo esisukela kuso njengedwala ebeliqinisekisa ukuba sikwazi ukufeza konke esikwenzele abantu balapha KwaZulu-Natali.
Ngenkathi i-IFP iqhoqhobala izintambo zombuso esiFundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali ngezinketho zika-1994, sase sikuqonda ukuthi kushoni ukubusa ngobuqotho kanye nekhono. Kasigcinanga nje ngokuphatha kuhulumeni iminyaka engu-19, kepha sabe sesimnkantshu bomvu ekusebenzeni emphakathini ongabandlululi ngobuhlanga nakuhulumeni ongenalo ubandlululo. Ngoba ngaphansi kobuholi bami kwase kuzelwe isiGungu sokuphatha ngokuhlanganyela lapha kulesifundazwe (iKwaZulu Natal Joint Executive Authority) iminyaka cishe elishumi ngaphambi kombuso wentando yeningi.
Umzabalazo weNkatha yenkululeko kwakungekhona njena kuphela ukuthela othulini ubandlululo nokuzuza ilungelo lokuvota. Sasebenza ngesiqgi, ngokuphindelela singonkunzi kayihlehli, ngokungenelela ngezinto ezibonakalayo nezithintekayo, sakha uhlelo lokubusa olincike ezingeni eliphezulu lokwenza izinto, nobulungisa kanye nokumbandakanya konke. Ngenkathi izithunywa zikaKhongolose osekudingisweni zigqugquzela intsha yezwe lakithi ukuba ilaxaze imfundo, iphinde ingqongqise ngomlilo izikole ngenkathi ibhikisha, Inkatha yakha amagumbi emfundo, yaba sekhaleni lezinhlelo zokuthuthukisa intsha, ukucathulisa nokucancatha abantu abasha, ukuze babe ngabaholi beNingizimu Afrika ekhululekileyo.
Sasiqongelela ubufakazi kancane kancane, ukukhombisa nokufakazela ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika yayingakwazi ukwenza into engajwayelekile neyehlukile ngezikhathi zobandlululo, sidale uhlelo olungabandlululi ngobuhlanga nolungenabandlululo. Sakwenza lokhu ngokuhlanganisa abantu baseNingizmu Afrika bazo zonke izinhlanga ezigcawini ezifana neKhomishana kaButhelezi kanye neKwaZulu/Natali Indaba nangemibuthano eminingi yemithandazo, nokuthungatha ukubambisana ekuzibophezeleni kwethu oholweni lokuqoshiweyo okudinga ukufezwa ngezinga eliphezulu njengezinhlanga ezahlukeneyo.
Ifa le-IFP lokuthungatha ukuhlalisana kwemiphakathi nobulungiswa kwezenhlalakahle yinto engale ngaphambi kwentando yeningi. Sasikuqonda ngaleyonkathi njengoba sikuqonda manje ukuthi izakhamizi zalelizwe zinekusasa elilodwa. Kalikho ikusasa labathile uma kusekhona abasasilele emuva. Kasisoze sazuza inkululeko epheleleyo uma kusekhona imindeni esengaphansi kwamakhamandela antula ubulungiswa, nobuphofu, ukusweleka kwamathuba kanye nokuphelelwa yithemba.
Yingakho ngaso sonke isikhathi umyalezo we-IFP uhlale ungumyalezo wobunye. Siyenqaba ukweqhatha umuntu waseNingizimu AfrIka nomunye waseNingizimu Afrika. Kubebuhlungu ukubona ezinye zezimbangi zethu zenza khona lokhu engikushoyo ngesikhathi sokukhankasela izinketho zikamasipala. Iningi lezinhlangano zivele zakhuthaza ukuba kube nofa nokuqhelelana phakathi kwezinhlanga ezehlukeneyo lapha eNingizimu Afrika, ngenhloso nje yokuziwolela nokuqoqa amavoti. Kepha ikusasa kalisoze lakhiwe phezu kwesisekelo soqhekeko, nokwesabisa. Kepha uhlobo olunjalo lekusasa lidala ubuhlungu kuphela.
Selokhu kwathi nhlo angikaze ngifinyelele endaweni lapho ngigqiza iqakala ngemikhankaso yamanye amaqembu noma ngiyihlabe ngiyihliphize. Ngikholelwa ekukhankaseni okusekeleke ekuzikhandleni nokwamukela ukuthi ngibenesandla lapho izinto zingahambanga khona kahle. Kepha kunezivavube ezimbalwa zalolukhetho enginomqondo wokuthi kufanele sizibeke ezithebeni sikhulume ngazo, ngoba abanelungelo lokukhetha badinga ukwazisisa ukuthi yini ezoshiwo nezokwenziwa ngaloludaba nanokuthi ngempela kunampumeleloni uma siqinisa siphinde sinike amandla izwi elinomthelela omubi nongakhi ngoMsombuluko mhlaka 1 Novemba, ngenkathi siyovota.
Inselelo enkulu okungangabazeki yizethembiso ezingafezwanga, kepha kuphinde kuhehwe abantu ukuba bavote. Izinkundla zokuxhumana zigcwele ziyanyinyitheka yiziqephu zeqembu elibusayo elenza izethembiso, liphinde ligudluke kwelakushoyo liphike lime phezu kwentaba lithi alikaze lona lizibophezele ukuthi liyokwenzela abantu lokhu noma lokukhuyana. Umuntu ubengahlehla aphindile kuwo yonke imkhankaso yokhetho kusukela ngonyaka ka-1994, abheke nje izinombolo kuphela ukubona ukuthi zingakhi izethembiso ezingakaze zifezeke.
“Sizodala amathuba emisebenzi ayizigidi!” basho kanjalo. “Siyokwakha izindlu eziyizigidi” “Sizoziqeda nya izindawo zokulahlwa kwetshe lentaba eziyimigodi (ezinga gelezi manzi” ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ezizayo. Sizokunqanda ukunqamuka kukagesi Sizobhekana nalabo abathinteka enkohlakalweni.” Lezethembiso sekube nobufakazi ukuthi kazisoze zafezeka, ziyinto engeke ifezeke. Basenga ezimithiyo, ukhetho nokhetho, bethembisa abantu izulu lasemhlabeni, elingasozwe libekhona.
Kuwo wonke amagquma namathafa ezwe lakithi sinomasipala abamile nse futhi abangasebenzi kwanhlobo, okuchithwa izigidi zezigidi zamaRandi kepha kube kunemiphakathi enganawo amanzi, engenawo ugesi engenayo nendlela yokuthuthwa kwetshe lentaba. Kepha khona manjalo sisezwa ngokukhwatshaniswa kwamathenda anikwa abangani noma obhululu. Sekuyisikhathi sokuba kunqandwe lokhu osekubole phuhlu. Kuyanuka phu!
Enye inkinga enkulu nejulile ehambisana nalomkhankaso njengoba bekwenzeka kuyo yonke imikhankaso ngaphambili, yinkinga yokusocongana ngezizathu zombusazwe. Eminyakeni emithathu eyedlule iKhomishana yoPhenyo ka-Moreane yaphenya ngokubulalana okuphathelene nezombusazwe lapha eSifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali, yadalalula umzila ongaphathelene nokubulalana kwamalungu ahlukene ngokwamaqembu ezombusazwe njengezimbangi, kepha wadalula ukuthi loludlame wumkhonto ogwaza ekhaya ngenhloso yokuqinisekisa ukufumana izikhundla, iholo nentuba eyithuba lokuba nesandla ekulawuleni ukwabiwa kwamathenda. Izincwadi (books) ezifana nalena “War Party” ebhalwe ngu-Greg Arde ikubeka kucace bha okwenkanyezi eme yodwa qekelele esibhakabhakeni ukuthi yiliphi iqembu elinezimpi zalo zangaphakathi. Lapho amalungu eqembu elibusayo egolozelene odwa. Enephuzana odwa.
Kwaba yiyo kanye impi yangaphakathi yezombuszwe eyaqubula ukudangala nokulahlekelwa yithemba lapha esifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali naseGauteng ngoJulayi ngenkathi ukuboshwa kwalowo owayenguMengameli weZwe kuqubula amatulo awuchungechunge lokubambisana ukuba lelizwe lilaliswe phansi bhu ngesisu. Ezinyangeni ezedlule, amakhansela amaningi abezongenela ukhetho ayesesocongiwe, ngenkathi amanye eya ekubhaceni ngokwesabela izimpilo zawo. Kungani iKhansela kufanele lisatshiswe ngempilo yalo? Akukhona nje ukuthi bafeza noma bahlangabezana nezidingo zomphakathi, kepha kungenxa yokuthi labo abanenkohlakalo nabangamaqola baphinde baholele abanye Ophathe. Babona ukungena ezikhundleni zobukhansela njengentuba yokuzicebisa bona zingqobo zabo.
Lengwadla yodlame seyihlukumeze iQembu elibusayo kulomkhankaso. Ngomhlo munye ngenkathi bejabulela (bebhiyozela) ukudedelwa ejele kowaye ngumholi wabo, ngosuku olulandelayo umbutho wabo wamasosha owahlakazwa, wagquma, bafana neziboshwa ehotela oNgqongqoshe beqembu elibusayo. Kwanganyakaza ngisho impukane! Abavoti kufanele bavuke emaqandeni bakuqonde ukuthi iqembu elibusayo lizosibulala leSifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali uma lingaphinde linqobe ukhetho kulesifundazwe. Ubufakazi bonke buyazikhulumela phambi kwethu, futhi lokhu kusobala okwezinqe zesele.
Akungikhathazi ukukhuluma ngalezinto. Niyazi ukuthi ngakhulela kuPhiko lweNtsha kaKhongolose, uVukayibambe, kanye nokuthi ubaba uDokotela Pixley ka Isaka Seme ngumqambi kaKhongolose wawusungula ngo-1912. Niyazi futhi ukuthi iNkosi Albert Luthuli wayengumvivisi wami nokuthi ngasebenza nokubambisana eduze nobuholi bukaKhongolose obabusekudingisweni, buholwa nguMnu Oliver Tambo, ukufeza umyalelo ababenginike wona wokuhola elaKwaZulu ukuba ngicekele phansi uhlelo lukahulumeni wobandlululo ngokusebenza ngaphakathi kwezinhlaka zalo. Ngaba nobudlelwano besikhathi sempilo yonke noMadiba (uMnu Nelson Mandela) ngaphezu kokuthi uKhongolose wangihlamuka, wangiphendukela ngenkathi ngenqaba ukweseka umzabalazo wezikhali noma ukweseka ukuphihlizwa ngesando umnotho waseNingizmu Afrika, ngisho ukubhonculwa kwezikhonkwane zomnotho.
Azingikitazi lezizinto uma ngikhuluma ngazo njengoba iqembu elibusayo lingene lacwila lavela ngesicoco obishini lwenkohlakalo. Akukhona njena ukushovuza kwezombusazwe. Lezinto ngizisho ngoba iNingizimu Afrika idinga ukuzazi. Kasikwazi ukuphila sisimame ngabaholi abanenkohlakalo. Izinkomba zivele zisobala ukuthi nxa siqhubeka ngalomzila, sibhekene nokulala bhu ngesisu komnotho wethu, okuzoqhubekisa ububha, obungachazekiyo, kanye nokuvukelwa komphakathi okukhulu.
Ngikhulume kabanzi kulomkhankaso ngodaba lwezibonelelo, inkece yezimpesheni, nesiqinisekiso ekuhlulekeni kohlelo lwezibonelelo, nxa sibambelela emigomeni yezomnotho yeqembu elibusayo. Uhulumeni uchitha imali engaphezu kwezinto ezikhiqizwa yizwe lakithi, okuchaza ukuthi sihlehlela emuva kunokuba siye phambili. Ngaphezu kwalokhu uhulumeni uboleka izimali ukukhokha inzalo yesikweletu esihlale senyuka, ube ungenayo indlela yokusikhokhela usiqede. Lezikwenetu zalezimali ezebolekwe nguHulumeni nezemijovo yokhuvethe ngeke uHulumeni abenamandla okuzikhokha kulesisizukulwane.
Noma yimuphi usomnotho uyakutshena ukuthi lezibalo kazihlangani kwanhlobo uma uzama ukuzihlanganisa. Ngaphansi kwaloHulumeni iNingizimu Afrika ilokhu iqhubezela ukuba mpofu uma isithathe lomzila oqonde endaweni eyodwa, uhlelo lokukhokha izibonelelo luzokuqumbeka phansi. Aluna luzinzo. Lokhu kuzokuba yinhlekelele yezigidi zemindeni eziphila ngazo izibonelelo ukuxosha ikati eziko.
Kukhombisa ukuba nesihluku nokungabi nonembeza kulezimo esibhekene nazo ukuba umholi we-Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) uMhlonishwa uMnu Julius Malema ukuba angathi abantu baseNingizmu Afrika “bangamavila” aphinde athi “akuyona into ejabulisayo” ukuba banezingane ezimbalwa. Kuwo lomkhankaso wokhetho utshele abantu ukuthi lelizwe linezindodla zemali, ubuningi bayo obucima ilanga, wathembisa ukuthi i-SASSA (uphiko olubhekene nezibonelelo) izokuxhasa wonke umuntu, ngakho asiqhubeke siqhulule izingane ezilishumi umndeni owodwa. Lomyalezo ukhombisa ukwehluleka ukucabanga ngendlela engachazekiyo. Uqukethe amanga aluhlaza cwe ukuthi umnotho wezwe lakithi ungakwazi ukubhekelela umphakathi noma isibalo sabantu esikhula ngamandla (ngewala) kwinhlalakahle yombuso.
Kawukho uhulumeni ongalokhu ukitela ngemali iziwici ngeziwici zabantu uma kungena imali. Into embi kunazo zonke ngalamanga ayingozi kangaka yikuthi abantu bakithi baswele futhi bazidinga ngobuningi izibonelelo kunakuqala. Ngaphansi kwalezizimo ezikhona zokuswelakala kwemisebenzi nokubhebhetheka kobuphofu, ayikho enye indlela ngaphandle kokusiza imindeni ngezibonelelo. Uhulumeni wami omdala waKwaZulu waba ngowokuqala ukunweba noma yiluphi uhlobo lwezibonelelo kunoma yimuphi umuntu walapha kwaZulu, ngakho ngiyayiqonda lendlela yokuziphilisa.
Ngiyakuqonda ukuthi noma yimuphi uhulumeni owashunqiselwa zaphelela izinyamazane, uyakuzikhandla ukulinganisa uhlelo lwezibonelelo nokukhuthaza ukukhula kwezomnotho, ngokutshala izimali ekuthuthukiseni amakhono, ngezisekelo eziqinileyo zezimboni, nangemithetho yezabasebenzi ebeka phezulu eqhulwini ukucoshakala kwemisebenzi, kubantu baseNingizimu Afrika.
Yikho kanye lokhu esakwenza njengeNkatha ngenkathi sibusa ngakho kwaphumelela. Sagxila ekusimamiseni umnotho ukuba uzinze ukuze ukwazi ukuphilisa nokusiza bonke abasweleyo. Nangenkathi sibusa iSifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali eminyakeni yokuqala eyishumi yentando yeningi, i-IFP yasebenzisa iqhinga elifanayo lokutshala ekuthuthukiseni umnotho, ukuwesekela okuhlinzekwa yusizo lwezibonelelo, ngenkathi i-KwaZulul Natali iphethwe ngoNdunankulu be-IFP abathathu uMhlonishwa uDr Frank Mdlalose, uMhlonishwa uDr Ben Ngubane noMhlonishwa uDr Lionel Mtshali.
Indlela ye-IFP yokwenza izinto iyaphumelela, iqinisekisa amasu esikhathini eside esizayo, idala nesisekelo sefa eliyohlonyulwa yisizukulwane esizayo. Kuhlomulisa kuphi ukuba kulesizukulwane ukwamukela izibonelelo ezicishe zingakwazi ukuhlinzeka ukudla okwanele okunomsoco, nxa isizukulwane esizayo siyokhinyabezwa yindlala? Sifanele ukwenza into efaneleyo manje, into efaneleyo yikuhlomisa lesizukulwane esikhona ngamakhono, nesilandelayo sihlonyiswe, sisikhuthaze emzileni wokuzisiza nokuzethemba.
Lokho kusho ukucija abantu bonke, abantu noma ngabe basezindaweni zasemakhaya noma emadolobheni, abadala nentsha, ngamakhono angabenza bacoshe imali. Lokhu kusho ukutshala inkece ekukhiqizeni ukudla, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imindeni iyahlonyiswa futhi iyasekwa ukuba ngabalimi abangasebenzeli ukudayisa isivuno sabo, ukuze bakhiqize okwaneleyo ukuba bangakumaya okunye okugcwele izinqolobane bakudayise.
Kube wumyalezo wami weminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amane. Ngininxenxile ukuba nitshale izimali ekuqinisekiseni izinqolobane zokudla nokuphinde nithuthukise amakhono. Siphinde nge-IFP sakwenza lokho, kepha isivumo esihle se-IFP sidinga ukuqhubezelwa phambili, kufanele ukuba kusetshenziswe imigomo ye-IFP namagugu ayo kubo bonke omasipala balapha KwaZulu-Natali kanye neNingizmu Afrika yonke, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izwe lethu liyaqala ukusebenza futhi.
Sekuyithuba le-IFP ukuba ibuyise iSifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali. Sibe yiQembu eliphikisayo elinamandla futhi silikhombisile ikhono lethu ngokwenza izinto, siphinde sizenze zenzeke. Kepha kunodedangendlale wethuba nendawo yeqembu elibusayo ukuba liqhubezele ukwahluleka ukufeza izidingo zabantu. Uma abanelungelo lokukhetha begcina emandleni iQembu elibusayo, benethemba lokuba i-IFP ingalenza liphendule nasekulungiseni amaphutha alo, iSifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natal asisoze sasimama.
Konke lokhu kulele ezandleni zabantu baleSifundazwe nokuba kubeyibona abathatha isinqumo esifanele nesingumnqamulajuqu ekuhlengeni leSifundazwe esishoshela kancane kancane ekubeni yisijeziso esingaqhubeka iminyaka ngeminyaka ezizukulwaneni eziningi. Eqinisweni konke kusezandleni zabanelungelo lokuvota. Eqiniseni konke kusezandleni zenu.
I-IFP kufanele igcinwe ebuholini noma iphindiselwe emandleni lapha KwaZulu-Natali. Yilonasu elinganqanda ukuphuhluka kokubola kulesifundazwe, kuguquke nezinto. Njengoba i-KwaZulu-Natali ingagcinwa isebenza, izinzile iphinde ibe yisifundazwe esithuthukayo, bonke abantu baseNingizimu Afrika bakufumana futhi bakubone ukuthi i-IFP yithemba labo.
Ngakho ngiyaninxusa ukuba niqinise i-IFP ngevoti lenu. Yenzani lolukhetho ukuba lube ngumzuzu wokuphenduka kwezinto (wokuphendula amatafula). Ningakwenzeli lesifundazwe kuphela, kepha nikwenzele izwe lakithi lonke. Lolukhetho lwenze umzuzu lapho i-IFP idla umhlanganiso ngokubuyisa isifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali ukuhlenga thina sonke.
Amagugu ethu awaguqukile kanye nemigomo yethu ayikaze intengantenge noma inyakaziswe kepha imile selokhu kwathi nhlo. Lokhu kwenza i-IFP umlingani wakho onamandla ekubambisaneni, ekuqhubezeleni iNingizimu Afrika ukuba isebenze. Sibambisene nawe ekudaleni ubulungiswa kwinhlalakahle. Singabalingani bakho ekuletheni izidingo ngezinga eliphezulu kuyo yonke imiphakathi. Sibambisene nawe ekuqinisekiseni ukuba iNingizimu Afrika ingephephile ekuvikeleni ababuthaka nokulwisana nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane. I-IFP ingumlingani wakho ekuvuleni nasekudaleni amathuba nokucija wena ukuba uwasebenzise ngezandla zombili.
Kuyinto ewumqondo omuhle ukuvotela i-IFP ngoba ivoti eliya ku-IFP liyivoti eliletha ukubuswa okuhle.
Esikhathini esingange nyanga esedlule uwuzwile umyalezo we-IFP. Uwufundile nomqulu wethu wezethembiso zokhetho, waxoxa, wabafaka imibuzo abaholi bethu njengoba besinqamula izinkalo zeNingizimu Afrika yonke. Kepha kasininxenxi ukuba nigxilise ivoti lenu kuphela esikhathini esingangenyanga esedlule. Zinike isikhathi, ubheke umlando wethu omuhle. Sekuyiminyaka engu-46 yokusebenza sethula izidingo. Sekuyiminyaka engu-46 yobuholi obethembekile njengoba sakha iNingizimu Afrika.
Kasiqhubeke sakhe ngokubambisana, sixhakathisene izandla, ukuze ikusasa libe wusuku olugcono kuwo wonke umuntu waseNingizimu Afrika.
NgoMsombuluko mhlaka 1 Novemba vuka, sukuma, phuma uyovota. Yenza okufanele nokulungile unomndeni wakho. Votela i-IFP. Ithi Zaka! Zaka! eduze kwendlovu!