Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is pinning its hopes on the newly-elected ANC leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, led by Zweli Mkhize, right, to revisit the controversial street renaming process at eThekwini Municipality.

This after Mkhize announced that he would engage the IFP in peace talks.

IFP provincial secretary Bonginkosi Buthelezi said he hoped that the new leadership of the ANC would overturn the controversial renaming of Mangosuthu Highway.

The highway is named after IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi but eThekwini Municipality wants it renamed after the murdered leader of the now defunct United Democratic Front (UDF), attorney Griffiths Mxenge.

"We are hopeful too that the current leadership of the ANC will be able to place the good of the province above party political interests by working towards reviving a good working relationship between the ANC and the IFP," Bonginkosi Buthelezi said.

He said a good working relationship between the two predominantly black parties in KwaZulu-Natal was essential to maximise service delivery to millions of people.

"Importantly, we are optimistic that in the interest of peaceful co-existence and progress in the province, the new ANC leadership will revisit controversial decisions.

" In particular, we congratulate the whole KwaZulu-Natal ANC for holding a peaceful conference, which is unlike the unfortunate spectacle that we have seen in recent ANC conferences in other provinces," said Buthelezi.

In his inaugural speech as ANC chairman, Mkhize said the "unfortunate incident" where violence broke out during an IFP march in central Durban at the weekend "served as a grim reminder that peace in the province should not be taken for granted".