”We must remain vigilant to ensure that our democracy does not fall prey to what may happen when there is a one-party state, and has indeed happened in other African countries where there is a one-party state,” Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) President Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Saturday.
Buthelezi was speaking at an IFP rally at the Mpenjane sports ground in Kwa-Nzimakwe on the South Coast to thank his party supporters for their participation in the general election on April 14, 2004.
He told the supporters that the African National Congress (ANC) gathered about 70% of the vote during the election by forging alliances with other parties, which had enabled it to control almost 75% of the votes in Parliament.
He warned that: ”Democracy, for which we fought so long and so hard, is in great peril. We fought for democracy because we know that, without democracy, there can be no social justice and economic development and progress for the poorest of the poor and the least favoured segments of our population.”
Buthelezi warned his party supporters to remain vigilant and to ensure that democracy in South Africa did not fall prey to the evils of a one-party state.
”I love my country and I hope that our democracy, prosperity and future may never be adversely affected.
”Today we have in South Africa what may be characterised as a one-party state, and we need to assess whether our hopes for a better future are indeed in jeopardy.”
”We spent six years negotiating a final Constitution for our country because we all agreed that without an entrenched, unchangeable and supreme constitution, neither democracy nor progress could develop and be guaranteed in South Africa.”
He said, however, under the present circumstances the ruling party has unfettered power to change the Constitution. – Sapa