The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday called on the Zulu nation not to attend an imbizo (meeting) at KwaMashu, south of Durban, on Saturday.
The imbizo was called by Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi in his capacity as traditional prime minister.
ANC spokesperson Mtholephi Mthimkhulu said ”this imbizo has been called by the IFP leadership after it was discussed and agreed upon in the party’s national council meeting last Saturday”.
”It is therefore preposterous and misleading to call it ‘imbizo for the Zulus’.”
Mthimkhulu said only King Goodwill Zwelithini can call for an imbizo and urged people ”not to be misled and confused by reports on the so-called crisis imbizo for ‘Zulus”’.
In a media statement on Monday, Buthelezi said he called the imbizo in his capacity as traditional prime minister of the Zulu kingdom and as chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders.
He said a number of meetings of amakhosi had requested the meeting.
”The imbizo will enable the Zulu nation to give guidance to our kingdom at this crucial juncture in our history, in which the very existence of our kingdom is threatened.”
Mthimkhulu said it is clear that the IFP was ”resorting to its old, outdated tricks of the early 1990s when it used to call rallies and dub them as gatherings of the Zulu people”.
He said the party is in a deep internal crisis and because it knows its support is waning, it has chosen to disguise its rally as an imbizo.
Mthimkhulu called on the IFP to ”mobilise people in an honest way, namely to call them to an IFP rally”.
The imbizo is scheduled to take place at the Princess Magogo Stadium. — Sapa