Bogus branches to blame says IFP
BOGUS branches and internal factions were identified as the main causes for the postponement of the IFP National Elective Conference. This was the response of the party’s Deputy National Chairperson and Chairperson of the Daily Management Committee (DMC) which manages the internal electorate processes, Albert Mncwango.
Addressing a media briefing in Durban, Mncwango said they were not in a hurry for a conference, but they wanted to hold a legitimate and successful conference.
‘The National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Council were kept abreast of the party’s state of readiness, with periodic reports received.
‘These reports painted a worrying picture of our readiness, as in January this year news of bogus branches emerged.
‘We discovered that these branches had been created on a wide scale to compromise the integrity of any conference at any level.
‘An urgent intervention of branch auditing was instituted to quicken the pace towards getting the party ready for conferences.
‘In May the National Council directed the NEC and DMC to continue the process of auditing, and DMC began rolling constituency and district conferences.
‘These conferences were characterised by disputes and divisive tendencies. It became clear that all was not well and serious problems of illegitimate branches remained unresolved.
‘The NEC found these concerns by branches to be legitimate, and a tough decision to postpone the conference had to be made,’ he said.
Mncwango refuted claims that party President iNkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi single-handedly postponed the conference, describing them as both unfounded and malicious.
‘We express our apology to Prince Buthelezi for this state of illpreparedness for our conference,’ he said.