Resolutions of the IFP Extended National Council

1. THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

(a) To congratulate President Ramaphosa on his election as the new Head of State, noting that there have been some positive developments since he assumed Office, such as the stabilisation of the Rand;

(b) To pledge the IFP’s support for any positive policy and other decisions the new President might embark on to strengthen and stabilise the country,

(c) To reaffirm the IFP’s position as a robust yet constructive opposition party ready to hold the ANC to account wherever it fails our people;

(d) To record the Party’s displeasure with the manner in which the current debate around the Ingonyama Trust is being framed in the public discourse, which is out of context, ill-informed and often historically inaccurate;

(e) To further state that the IFP is deeply disappointed with President Ramaphosa’s lack of respect and understanding in dealing with the matter of Traditional Leadership, when he was questioned about this critical issue by the IFP in the National Assembly on Wednesday 14 March 2018;

(f) To continue to raise these and other important issues with the new President, in Parliament, the public discourse and the media.

2. DECISION TO CHARGE FORMER PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA

The IFP Extended National Council has noted the decision of Mr Shaun Abrahams, the Head of the National Prosecuting Authority, to charge Mr Jacob Zuma on corruption, money-laundering and racketeering charges.

We welcome this decision, as well as the opportunity it presents for the former President to answer, in a court of law, to all the allegations which have been levelled against him over a number of years, prior to his becoming President and during his Presidency.

Finally, history records that President Zuma himself stated on numerous occasions that he wanted to have his day in court, and we are pleased that the justice system will finally provide him with this opportunity.

3. IFP RESPONSE TO MR JULIUS MALEMA FOLLOWING HIS REMARKS ABOUT THE ZULU KING

The IFP Extended National Council thanked the Honourable Mr Gwala for the statement he issued (below) on comments made by the Commander-in-Chief of the EFF. We support and endorse the sentiments expressed in this statement.

13 March 2018

Right now, South Africa is grappling with a monster. The issue of land expropriation is sensitive, emotive and certain to spark contention. But it cannot be avoided any longer, for the protracted failure to effectively handle land reform has brought our country to the edge of a precipice.

The question is whether we will now build a bridge to collectively take us across, or whether we will point to the precipice and tell our people to jump.

That is the choice facing every political leader.

The IFP chose to be bridge-builders more than 4 decades ago. It is part of our DNA. We therefore balk at anyone who sets their sights on burning bridges. And that is, unfortunately, the central focus of the EFF.

We all watched Mr Malema gifting cattle to the King of the Zulu Nation. The King graciously received him twice. It seemed that the EFF’s Commander-in-Chief was showing respect for the King.

But then, at a rally launching his election campaign, Mr Malema spoke flippantly about the King and about his custodianship of land under the Ingonyama Trust. He spoke distastefully about “holy cows”, as though his gift of cattle somehow bought him the right to treat the King with disdain.

With utter carelessness, Mr Malema announced that Government should take over the land held by the Ingonyama Trust.

This is a slap in the face to the Zulu Nation. In the present circumstances, when the issue of land and the Ingonyama Trust is so sensitive, his words are nothing less than incendiary.

He is clearly not concerned about the facts. Had he wanted to understand why the Trust was established, he could have asked the author of the Trust, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP. After all, they sit next to each other in Parliament, and their two parties work together in several municipalities.

We can assure Mr Malema that the King does not need his cattle. And the nation does not need his rabble-rousing.”