The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed back its three members who had defected to the National Democratic Convention (Nadeco).
Provincial chairperson Mtomuhle Khawula said the IFP is happy and excited to have its members return ”home”.
”We welcome them with open arms back into the IFP family. This is the beginning of many things to come. This is only the tip of the iceberg and we are coordinating a big function to welcome many more Nadeco members back home.”
Khawula said the ”prodigal sons” were made to believe that the IFP was undemocratic. When they realised that was not true and that Nadeco was not what it seemed to be, they returned to their political home.
Phumlani Khuzwayo, Zandile Myeni and S’khumbuzo Cele left the IFP when national chairperson Ziba Jiyane fell out with party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi last year. Jiyane formed Nadeco and was followed by a number of IFP Youth Brigade leaders.
This week, Khuzwayo, Myeni and Cele announced their return to the IFP.
”We have as a matter of principle and with a clear conscience decided that we cannot fool ourselves any longer and that we want to return to our political home,” they said in a statement.
”To us Nadeco is a one-man fan club, with no independent identity, trying desperately to use the same principles as that of the IFP to attract support.”
Nadeco does not have the history of developing these principles and is presenting them to the people without context, the statement read.
Nadeco leaders were unavailable for comment on Saturday afternoon. — Sapa