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The African National Congress and Inkatha Freedom Party delivered messages of peace as they signed a code of conduct in Durban yesterday with 11 other parties contesting the April elections in KwaZulu-Natal.

"I am prepared to die for KwaZulu-Natal, but I am not prepared to see KwaZulu-Natal dying for me," was the message of ANC provincial chairperson S'bu Ndebele, according to party spokesperson Mtholephi Mthimkhulu.

"He stressed that all parties, especially the ANC and IFP, must get down to the people at grassroots level to preach the gospel of peace," Mthimkhulu said.

Ndebele's IFP counterpart Musa Zondi said his party would not provide shelter for those committing violence or intimidation.

"The IFP unequivocally rejects violence and the perpetrators of violence," he said in prepared notes. "We stand shoulder to shoulder with everyone that rejects the path of violence and walks the path of peace".

Zondi pointed out that some 25 000 people died in KwaZulu-Natal in so-called black-on-black violence between 1983 and 1996, and expressed concern over recent sporadic acts of violence and intimidation in the province.

"As a result of this, the provincial ANC and IFP are going to be putting into place a mutually agreed programme and mechanisms to monitor these events to ensure that our members do not become involved in these incidents".

Several cases of political clashes have recently been reported between the ANC and IFP in KwaZulu-Natal. Earlier this month, seven people were injured in a shooting at a political rally at Wembesi township.

Other parties who signed the code on Friday were the African Christian Democratic Party, the Azanian People's Organisation, the Democratic Alliance, the Independent Democrats, the Minority Front, the New National Party, the Pan Africanist Congress, the Peace and Development Party, the Socialist Party of Azania, the United Democratic Movement and the Freedom Front Plus.

Similar codes have already been signed in three other provinces, with five more to follow.

KwaZulu-Natal election manager Ntombfuthi Masinga said the code encouraged tolerance towards other parties in the run-up to the election, and on polling day.

Infringements of the code included using undue influence to persuade people to vote or not to vote for a particular party, defacing party posters, excluding certain parties from so-called no-go areas and interrupting political meetings.

Penalties for infringement of the code could include a R200 000 fine, a party's votes being nullified, or elections in a certain area being declared null and void.

Masinga said she was certain the signing of the code would alleviate tensions in the province.

"It is important for people to see their leaders promoting the message of peace and tolerance," she said. "Everybody was speaking the same language here today". – Sapa.

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