IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa has landed in hot water after posing for a picture with a party member wearing regalia bearing his face instead of that of his predecessor, Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Impeccable sources in the IFP this week told the Sunday Times how Hlabisa came under fire during a “tense” meeting of the party’s national council, where he was taken to task for posing for pictures with members wearing IFP gear not featuring the face of party president emeritus Buthelezi.
The IFP insiders indicated that there was a strong push for Hlabisa to be suspended over the T-shirt saga as he was accused of defying a standing party resolution stipulating that only Buthelezi’s face is to feature on IFP T-shirts and other paraphernalia.
The sources said Buthelezi was present when Hlabisa was confronted but recused himself from the meeting when the T-shirt matter came up.
The party is now hunting down all members who sported the T-shirt with Hlabisa’s face after IFP secretary-general Siphosethu Ngcobo sent a memo to branches, asking them to submit names of those who have worn and are still wearing the controversial attire.
Ngcobo on Friday confirmed discussions at the party’s national council and that Buthelezi was at the meeting before recusing himself.
However, he attempted to downplay moves to have Hlabisa suspended.
Ngcobo said Hlabisa told the meeting that he had not noticed that the party regalia worn by the supporter he was posing with had his face on it.
Ngcobo argued that the move was not an attempt to “clip” Hlabisa’s wings but an attempt to ensure compliance with the party’s resolution, adopted in 2019, that all party regalia and electoral campaign material should bear the face of Buthelezi because he was the IFP’s strongest brand.
Referring to Ngcobo’s letter to branches, other party leaders expressed concern that the party was gathering “evidence” against Hlabisa to sanction him.
But this was dismissed by Ngcobo, who added the letter to branches did not constitute an investigation against Hlabisa.
Ngcobo said the “two faces” phenomenon began in 2019 and even then the party had reminded members of its resolution.
“Remember he had been the only leader of the party — the conference said we will not make changes to the regalia. The colours of the IFP always include the face of the founder — that is how this whole saga begins, in 2021. Because there were local government elections we had to revisit the issue and we reaffirmed that we will continue with the founder.
Ironically, the T-shirt resolution was adopted at an IFP congress that elected Hlabisa in 2019.
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