The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has reacted angrily to allegations that it had a hand in the recent killing of a councillor of the National Freedom Party (NFP) in Nongoma to force by-elections.
The party says contrary to the speculations doing the rounds, the balance of power does not change as the slain councillor, Ntombenhle Mchunu was a PR councillor and therefore the NFP will directly replace her, without the need for a by-election.
NEWS: The IFP has slammed claims that it had a hand in the Sunday killing of Nongoma local municipality, Ntombenhle Mchunu with the hope of reclaiming the municipality from the ANC-EFF-NFP alliance. The party says contrary to the speculation peddling doing the rounds,
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) August 1, 2023
The IFP’s statement comes after Mchunu was gunned down in her home on Sunday morning. It was claimed that there would be by-elections that the IFP will use to reclaim the municipality from the ANC-EFF-NFP coalition that came into power last month.
In his statement, the NFP secretary-general, Canaan Mdletshe, said the police must arrest the person who circulated a voice note shortly after the IFP was ousted. He said they would get back the municipality by all means necessary.
He further claimed that their coalition had faced threats from other political parties and leaders ever since they took power.
"We are extremely hurt by the attack. It is hitting us badly because the signs have been there. Since the NFP-ANC-EFF bloc took over the reins in Nongoma, there have been threats made by senior leaders of a certain political party as well as individuals,” Mdletshe said in a statement.
Reacting to this, the IFP national spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said Mdletshe was making reckless accusations.
He added that the continued killing of councillors in KwaZulu-Natal is of grave and serious concern, particularly ahead of the watershed 2024 national and provincial elections, which must be free and fair, and free from fear.
Hlengwa claimed that Mchunu is a victim of internal fights within the NFP, not at the IFP's hand.
“The IFP further calls on the Secretary-General of the NFP, Canaan Mdletshe, to desist from his reckless and irresponsible public posturing, which casts aspersions on the IFP for a crime which he knows all too well stems from the internal ructions in the NFP, around who occupies the NFP Exco seat in Nongoma.”
IOL Politics