Durban — The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is set to hold its highly anticipated elective conference early next year as internal tensions mount within the party's leadership.
The incumbent President Velenkosini Hlabisa is expected to face off against KwaZulu-Natal provincial chairperson and Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli in a contest that could reshape the party's future trajectory.
During a media briefing in Durban on Monday, Hlabisa announced that the party has tasked Secretary-General Siphosethu Ngcobo to conduct a comprehensive audit of the party's 800 branches.
This move is seen as essential for ensuring the party's credibility ahead of the conference.
"The IFP Secretary-General has set up several audit teams, consisting of members from the National Council – the party’s highest decision-making body in between conferences. The teams will assess our current branches and prepare to audit an additional 1400 once they are inaugurated," said Hlabisa.
The audit is anticipated to span the remainder of 2023, establishing a solid foundation for the upcoming conference.
Hlabisa added, "It goes without saying that this audit is necessary and is a crucial process that needs to be undertaken to ensure that credible and robust branches attend the conference."
The IFP had initially planned to hold its elective conference earlier this year but postponed it to allow leaders to campaign ahead of the 29 May elections.
In August, the party’s national executive committee and national council were tasked with developing a comprehensive roadmap for the conferences, reinforcing the need for branch audits.
The party will be holding the elective conference for the first time without its late founder and long-standing leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who died in September last year.
Buthelezi’s passing marked a significant shift in the party’s dynamics. Hlabisa, who stepped into the presidency in 2019 as Buthelezi's chosen successor, now faces formidable opposition from Ntuli, who boasts considerable backing within party ranks, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.
Ntuli’s recent election as Premier under the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) reflects his growing influence, while Hlabisa found himself appointed as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The IFP, having lost substantial support following the emergence of its splinter group, the National Freedom Party (NFP), in 2011, appears to have regained momentum as it won in a series of recent by-elections, even outperforming the ANC in key wards.
In the wake of solid victories during the 2021 local government elections, the IFP now governs multiple municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal, including the City of uMhlathuze (Richards Bay) and the King Cetshwayo District Municipality.
The party is also preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025.
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