ONE has noted the media interest following the announcement by IFP leader, iNkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, at the party’s extended national council meeting, that he was stepping down as President of the party he founded in 1975.
For too long now, Buthelezi’s leadership style has come under sharp criticism from some quarters who believed he did not want to relinquish power and that he was the IFP, and that the IFP was his – and without him there would be no IFP.
His critics have labelled the IFP as a ‘one-man show’, in which Buthelezi was the only one calling the shots.
Since 1975 his presidency in the party has never been challenged, with some going as far as questioning the existence of internal democracy in the party under his leadership.
In its response to these concerns, the party amended its constitution to create a position of Deputy President as part of its succession plan, in the form of iNkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, who was elected unopposed.
But even that move was described by some as a confirmation that the IFP was his and his family’s, since the two are related.
So, yes, the announcement that he was stepping down was a big story to some, but the truth of the matter is that this was not new.
Offered to step down
In fact, Buthelezi has offered to step down as the leader at past party elective conferences, on numerous occasions, owing to his age and the fact he has hardly spent quality time with his family for more than 40 years, while working for the people of South Africa.
Instead it was the party members who persuaded him to remain at the helm, citing that none among them have demonstrated leadership qualities to take the party to greater heights.
Mounting calls for him to retire also featured prominently during Local Government Elections, with some critics arguing that his face was no longer attractive to new voters and that the party needed young blood to restore its profile.
In his reaction to these calls, Buthelezi argued it would look cowardly of him to ‘easily abandon his baby’ at a time when it was struggling to regain control of the lost ground.
Indeed, he managed to revive the party after it lost key municipalities in the 2011 Local Government Elections and he is credited for that.
Velenkosini Hlabisa
What is new about this particular development is that for the first time in the history of the party there is already a presidential candidate, in the form of party loyalist Velenkosi Hlabisa, who is also the Mayor of Hlabisa Big 5 Municipality.
As Buthelezi said in a statement, it was the national council that agreed to nominate Hlabisa to stand for the leadership of the IFP at the next upcoming elective conference expected to be held in December, relieving the 89-year-old Buthelezi of the heavy burden.
It remains to be seen though, whether Hlabisa’s name will remain unopposed until the elective conference.
As the IFP’s mission states: ‘Democracy means freedom to choose.’
One hopes there will be other names thrown into the ring, for party members to choose from.
After all, the party’s constitution allows for names to be received from the floor even on the day of the election.
