By Celani Sikhakhane
The face of the late founder of the IFP, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, caused a stir at the manifesto launch of the National Freedom Party (NFP) when it was flown on a banner by a helicopter over the stadium.
Neli Magwaza, the sister of the late NFP founding president Zanele Magwaza-Msibi, was on stage greeting party members on Saturday afternoon when the helicopter flew overhead.
Many people in the stadium shifted their focus to look up to see the banner passing over the stadium.
Some claimed the IFP was deliberately trying to disrupt the NFP’s rally.
The helicopter was on its way to Nongoma for an IFP event on Sunday.
An NFP member in Ulundi, Diliza Mlambo, told Scrolla.Africa: “The IFP leadership that was in that helicopter phoned [someone in the NFP] and laughed at us and said that they saw us.
“Let’s just celebrate that the NFP managed to fill up the stadium that is named after Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the greatest leader of our time,” said Mlambo.
Magwaza-Msibi formed the NFP in 2011 after she, as the IFP national chairperson, was expelled from the party for allegedly plotting to dethrone Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
In his speech, NFP president Ivan Barnes said that the party would work hard in government to seize privately owned dams to fight the country’s water shortage.
“The NFP will start with the SAPS to clean up all those who are working with criminals that are terrorising our communities. The problem that we have is that there are police officers who are also criminals,” said Barnes.
“If we are serious about fighting crime we need to remove corrupt cops from the SAPS system and throw them in jail.”
Pictured above: A banner featuring Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s face set social media abuzz after it was flown over the NFP manifesto launch on Saturday.
Image source: X
