Cape Argus

Mixed reaction to kaMagwaza-Msibi as face of NFP’s campaign

- WILLEM PHUNGULA willem.phungula@inl.co.za

THERE was mixed reaction to the National Freedom Party’s decision to make late president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi the face of its election campaign.

Political analyst professor Bheki Mngomezulu said it was a wise move for the party to make her the face because she was loved even by people outside the party, adding that the decision may earn the party more votes.

Mngomezulu said by honouring her with this decision, the party could charm people who were touched by her leadership while she was still alive.

Mngomezulu, a political science lecturer at UWC, also commended the party for launching its manifesto in Nongoma as it was its stronghold in 2011 because it was the only municipali­ty it won convincing­ly to govern alone.

“It was a wise and commendabl­e decision they took to use kaMagwaza-Msibi as the face of their election campaign. Her death is still fresh in the minds of people so it can yield positive results for the party,” said Mngomezulu.

Another political analyst, Dr Imraan Buccus, said although he was not surprised by the decision since the party was built around her personalit­y, he did not think it was a fruitful decision.

He did not think using her face would help the party because the IFP had consolidat­ed its support since 2016 when the party failed to pay the Electoral Commission of SA registrati­on fee, ending up not contesting.

“These breakaway parties which are built around their founders’ personalit­ies do not last long after the founder’s demise. They usually do not have a clear succession plan,” said Buccus.

He used as example the Minority Front which after the death of its founder Amichand Rajbansi struggled to attract voters.

NFP secretary-general Canaan Mdletshe defended his party’s decision to use KaMagwaza-Msibi as the face of the elections, saying the decision was taken long before her death.

KaMagwaza-Msibi died last month after suffering a severe stroke just after she was appointed Deputy Minister of Science and Technology in 2014.

After spending two years out of Parliament she returned to her seat as well as her position as deputy minister but she was not able to talk well and used crutches to walk.

During the launch of her party manifesto in 2016, her daughter had to read her speech.

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