Ziba Jiyane, founder of the newly established National Democratic Convention (Nadeco), paid a visit to former National Party leader FW de Klerk on Monday.
”Mr Jiyane informed Mr De Klerk of his plans to establish a new centre-right party based on Christian family values, participatory democracy and free-market principles,” said De Klerk’s spokesperson, Dave Stuart.
He said Jiyane did not ask De Klerk to join his party, ”although I am sure he would have loved him to”.
De Klerk has in the past expressed his view that the demise of the New National Party left a gap in South Africa’s political spectrum.
De Klerk feels there is an urgent need for a new political home for moderate South Africans of all races, Stuart said.
De Klerk himself, however, has not affiliated himself to any party, believing this will help his foundation play a role in facilitating communications between community, political and government leaders.
But he did inform Jiyane that he will watch the progress of the new party with interest to see whether it succeeds in filling the gap in the political spectrum, Stuart said.
Jiyane registered his new party with the Independent Electoral Commission earlier this month after he resigned from the Inkatha Freedom Party.
He was suspended for allegedly bringing the party into disrepute.
Jiyane said Nadeco will be based on three pillars: the restoration of family values and the fear of god, the deepening of democracy and a market-based developmental state to attack poverty and unemployment convincingly.
”We have identified a void in the ruling party, which is a lack of a credible moral agenda,” Jiyane said.
He said several IFP and African National Congress executives have already promised him their support and are likely to announce their defection to his party when the floor-crossing period starts on Wednesday. — Sapa