IFP hopes to make Chatsworth inroads
IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi rebuked people who held on to the assumption that Indians were “less oppressed” during the apartheid era, describing their lack of knowledge as “sad”.
Buthulezi spoke at his party’s Ward 71 branch launch in Shallcross on Sunday, saying many “born-frees” had little knowledge of the country’s history and often had trouble “holding back” when young leaders made comments about race.
“Many believe Indian people were less oppressed than others. This is not true. I remember when no Indians were allowed to set foot in the Free State and were not allowed to study at UKZN, like my friends and colleagues Dr Yusuf Dadoo and Ismail Meer. Sadly, born-frees do not know where we come from.”
Buthelezi recollected many meals and good conversations he had shared with the residents of Chatsworth and always supported social cohesion in the area, but said there had been a “sense of distance” when it came to politics.
“I speak candidly because I know we are friends. The major political parties that have dominated here have not given you the kind of leadership you want or deserve. We are different,” he said. “We build relationships first and believe trust must be earned.”
The 89-year-old Zulu prince also slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying the people of Chatsworth were “let down” not once but twice by Ramaphosa who promised to visit first in July, then this month, after violent crime – including the death of 11-year-old Sadia Sukraj in a hijacking – which led to a public uprising in the giant township.
Buthelezi said leadership must be “by example”.
He criticised Ramaphosa’s Thuma Mina (Send Me) campaign, saying too many times “empty words” were spoken and have become a trend.
The IFP boss gave his support to Zain Suleman who was announced as the party’s candidate for Ward 71 that covers the Moorton, Shallcross and Crossmoor area.
The DA councillor who was elected in the area was promoted to the provincial legislature and by-elections for the ward’s next councillor will take place in October, which the IFP is hoping to win.
IFP MP Narend Singh told
POST that the party was confident that the IFP would do well.
“We are servants of the people, we have to serve with honesty, integrity, commitment and dedication,” he said. “We want to use the by-elections as a springboard for our national and provincial elections and to say that the Indian community does not belong to one political party that claim that they are the party for the Indians. We want to dispel that myth and are here to give hope.”
Singh said the party wanted to prove that it could “take back KZN” and to show everyone that they have “arrived”.
The party, he conceded, did not have much of a footprint in the greater Chatsworth area but due to community leaders looking for a new political home, the opportunity had emerged and the community accepted them.
He however added that nothing came without hard work.
“It’s very easy to say we are going to win but it takes hard work; nothing comes without hard work and dedication. I appeal to you to give it your best shot.
“In the last election we got 25 votes here. It is going to be a tall order and it’s not going to be easy. If we get 1000 votes, we would have increased 400 times and that in itself is a move in the right direction.”
Singh said they gave their full support to Suleman who would provide the change needed in the area.
Suleman said he accepted the position because he had enough of the “neglect, rejection” and councillors treating the community as “second-class” citizens.
“We see how the people are treated in uMhlanga and La Lucia. Why must the middle class and the less fortunate be treated any different? For the past two years our councillor never helped us. The time has come to take back our community.”
He said service delivery and the eradication of corruption would be key priorities if he was elected.
The IFP’s provincial secretary, Velenkosini Hlabisa, said the country was on the “brink of disaster” and saluted the people of Chatsworth for supporting his party, which he said would bring about positive change.
Committee members for the branch were also nominated and selected at the launch. They include Elvis Govender as chairperson, Zain Suleman as vice-chairperson, Mergan Pillay as secretary, Don Govender as deputy secretary, Aslam Khan as treasurer, Monty Govender as deputy treasurer, Sham Dhanpaul as PRO and Selvan Govender as deputy PRO.