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Appeal for protection at IFP meeting

DISGRUNTLED IFP members, fearing an outbreak of violence at the party’s elective conference this week, have pleaded with National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele to deploy police at the venue to protect them.

More than 1,000 party  members marched  through the  Durban city  centre on Saturday,  demanding  transformation in the 35-year-old  party.

March organiser,  Mzonjani Zulu, said the  protest  showed how serious members were in  their quest for  change.

“We can’t have a party that has been led by one individual for 35 years.  We can’t have leaders  who want  to rule until  Jesus Christ returns.

“Change is vital, it  must start from the top  to  councillors.

“We want a total overhaul of the national  council and  national  executive council. We  want new blood that will take the party to greater heights,” Zule said.

He denied reports  that they supported  party national  chairperson, Zanele Magwaza-Msibi, saying they were just concerned members.

“Last week a minibus  full of weapons arrived  at the  meeting and warriors were given those  weapons to  assassinate  other members and we  fear that the  situation  might become volatile.

“Those people who  will be going to the conference must  be ready  for all sorts of attacks  from hired hitmen who will be deployed there,”  Zulu warned.

Zanele Mthethwa, IFP  Youth Brigade chairperson for the South Central  region, said: “We love  our party but it  must be  democratic. We want it  to be a party that respects women.”

But IFP general secretary Musa Zondi said  there was no  need for  the protest march.

 

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