By Doreen Mokgolo
IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa has called on party members to go out in numbers to vote out the ANC government in power: “29 May is a day of protest – we will be protesting at the ballot box.
“There will be no miracles; it only needs you to stand up and say enough is enough, and say it is now or never.
“If we fail to remove the government that has failed us, it is hard to contemplate the next five years.
“29 May will be a day of protest; through the power of vote in the hands of every voter.
“Then, in the hands of every voter, we can change the government we have and put a government in power we can be proud of,” he said.
This is the first election the party will campaign in without the founding leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who died on 9 September.
Hlabisa was speaking at the party’s Gauteng 2024 election manifesto held at Germiston Stadium, Gauteng on Saturday.
Addressing hundreds of party members, Hlabisa said 29 May represents 27 April 1994 when South Africans came out in numbers, and stood in long queues to protest through their power of a vote to remove the oppressive government.
“We are in the same position now; we should go out in numbers to vote out this government of criminals, a government that forces us to live under load shedding.
“We can see that they have temporarily stopped load shedding; we are not kids, we know this is one of their tactics to bribe us in the upcoming elections,” he said.
As part of their manifesto, the party president said their plan when they take over government is to conduct a land audit of all the portions of land owned by the state.
“Once done, we will identify people who qualify for houses and those people will receive houses and title deeds.
“This will also allow the owners the opportunity to borrow money from banks in order to advance their lives, which is a different thing that will be done by the IFP.”
The party promised to remove load shedding through regular maintenance, and award unemployed graduates a R3,000 grant for 12 months to help apply for vacancies and attend job interviews.
Picture above: IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
