IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa says he is happy with how the party has performed in the 2024 general election. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
- IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa says the party is happy with its performance in the general election.
- Hlabisa says the party will weigh its coalition options.
- The IFP president says his party has not been affected by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party.
IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa says his party is happy with the results it already has in the bag despite any idea that the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has affected its support base.
At 13:00, with more than 98% of the votes processed, the IFP was sitting at 3.89% while in KwaZulu-Natal, with just over 99% of votes captured, the party stood at 18.26%.
Addressing the media at the national results operation centre in Midrand on Saturday, Hlabisa said going into the elections, the party had three objectives, and added that it had achieved all of them and was happy that its “aggressive and assertive campaign” had yielded results.
“We had three targets. The first one was to remove the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal. Goal achieved; the second one was to push the ANC below 50% in Gauteng so that the IFP becomes part of a new government at an executive level. Goal achieved. The third one was to push the ANC below 50% at a national level so that the IFP becomes part of a new government and has a strong voice in shaping the direction of our country. Goal achieved. The ANC is below 50% and we are happy,” Hlabisa said.
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The IFP president said the results showed that people had responded to its call that South Africans must protest at voting stations by removing “a government that has failed them”.
He added:
We want to thank them because they did so.
By 13:00, the ANC was at 40.26%, and there were no indications that it would climb above 50%.
Jacob Zuma’s MKP has been responsible for the ANC’s demise, not only on the national ballot but it has also done massive damage to the party in provinces such as Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal.
The ANC has effectively lost control of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. While other parties have spoken about how the MKP has eaten into its support base, Hlabisa said the IFP was not affected by this.
He said:
There has been a narrative going around that a new political party, MK, gave a difficult time to all political parties, especially in KwaZulu-Natal. The truth that is known is that the IFP was not affected by the MK.
“Now, we have exceeded the figures we got in 2019 during the general elections and have also exceeded the figures we got in 2021. So, our base is solid. Unfortunately, other parties have been affected [by the MKP factor].
“The IFP, in terms of numbers, we are probably the only party, until I get extra information, that increased its voter base in terms of numbers and also in terms of percentage. The IFP will be going to various legislatures with added numbers than what we had in the past term,” he said.
In 2019, the IFP got 3.38% of the national votes.
“So, in terms of the results, we are very happy. The IFP is now looking forward to the new term, to the new government …”
Hlabisa also revealed that the party’s national executive committee (NEC) would meet on Sunday to discuss its coalition options. However, he said the party was not desperate to get into any coalition.
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“We will look at all the results and look at the options available. I want to say we are not desperate to get into a coalition for the sake of a coalition, but indeed, the people of South Africa have spoken loudly that they want a government that is going to work together as a combination with sufficient check and balances, because the principle of using the majority is over. There is nothing that will just be rolled over because one political party has a majority. That is over,” he said.
“You will now need to get the consensus of sufficient parties in Parliament that will allow something to go on, and they will have sufficient eyes now looking at all things that have been done in the corners, behind curtains by one political party. We will be looking at options as the NEC as to what role we are going to play as the IFP and which political party or political parties we can work with together in a coalition to rebuild South Africa.”
He also said the Multi-Party Charter leaders would meet on Saturday evening to discuss its way forward.
Hlabisa said the MPC was happy that it had met its first goal of pushing the ANC below 50%.
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