Zululand district municipal mayor and IFP national chairperson Zanele Magwaza-Msibi has called for unity in the party.

Zululand district municipal mayor and IFP national chairperson Zanele Magwaza-Msibi has called for unity in the party.

Addressing IFP supporters and the Nongoma community at the Lindizwe Stadium on Saturday, she said unity was the key to the IFP's success.

She turned the report-back event into an electioneering campaign.

Magwaza-Msibi and general secretary Musa Zondi are front-runners to replace Mangosuthu Buthelezi when he retires.

"I thank you for participating in the national general elections and urge you to show the same commitment in the local government elections in 2011," she said.

Magwaza-Msibi urged members of the party to unite.

"A divided home would never stand firm when storms arrive. So it is important that we work towards restoring the hope that the people of South Africa had in the IFP."

Magwaza-Msibi said that her municipality would forge ahead and erect Buthelezi's bronze statue in Ulundi.

The statue is expected to cost R720000 and would be erected before the end of the year.

"We do this because we salute him for his role in the liberation of our country. We are concerned about the bias by the ANC in honouring freedom fighters," she said.

"We are against the propaganda that it was only the ANC that brought liberation, which is why we felt that Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi's role should be recognised," she said.