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SA: Mangosuthu Buthelezi: Address by the IFP President, at the IFP Rally at Abaqulusi ahead of elections, KwaZulu-Natal (15/04/2014)

SA: Mangosuthu Buthelezi: Address by the IFP President, at the IFP Rally at Abaqulusi ahead of elections, KwaZulu-Natal (15/04/2014)

15th April 2014

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When some leaders in Louwsburg asked me to visit Abaqulusi, I jumped at the
opportunity to come here. We are just 3 weeks away from South Africa's fifth
democratic election, and I wanted to have a conversation with you about how we,
together, can change the course of our country and secure the future we all
deserve.

When I was invited to come here today, I had in accordance with our tradition to
report my imminent visit to the Prince, who is Inkosi of the Ngenetsheni section
of the Zulu Nation.  I am humbled by the presence of the Prince and even more
humbled by the presence of Amakhosi of this district.

I want to state that for me with my background the presence of Inkosi of the
area and Amakhosi of this district adds very special lustre to our meeting.  I
thank the Prince and Amakhosi for their presence here today is very special to
us and it is not something we take for granted.

Twenty years into democracy, there are things we deserve to have, but don't
have. Like quality education for every child, regardless of whether they live in
a rural or urban area. Or like affordable healthcare, in clinics that are well
run and well stocked. Or like that thing that we all need to feed our families
– a secure and decent income.

There are also things we don't deserve in a country that we liberated twenty
years ago. We don't deserve to be robbed through corruption, or lied to by our
so-called representatives. And we don't deserve inferior services, when there is
no excuse beyond officials' incompetence or administrative mismanagement.

There are, quite clearly, things that need to change in South Africa. The good
news is that the power to change them is in your hands. And the moment to change
them is coming in just three weeks' time.

On the 7th of May, when you go to the polling stations to cast your ballot, I
urge you to fire people who are not serving your needs; and to empower a
leadership that you can trust. Vote for a leadership of the IFP.

You know the IFP well. We have worked for the people of Zululand and KwaZulu
Natal for more than half a century. You have been able to trust my word and
measure the integrity of my leadership. The IFP has a track-record in which we
rightly take pride, and it offers you proof that we are here to serve your
needs, competently, honestly and with real care.

Whenever I visit Abaqulusi, I think of the strong ties I have to this soil, for
the Abaqulusi area was once ruled by my great great great maternal Aunt,
Princess Mkabayi ka Jama. This is an area of great warriors of our Kingdom.
Indeed, the Abaqulusi were always one of the key Regiments of the King's
Regiments, and fought valiantly in the Battle of Isandlwana, not far from here,
inflicting a humiliating defeat on the most powerful army in the world, the
British army of Queen Victoria.

For me being in KwaNgenetsheni is very special also because this is the area of
my maternal great grand uncle Prince Hhamu ka Mpande.  This is my mother's home.

So I feel that you and I have a bond that is born of both history and blood.
Because of this, I cannot but tell you the truth about what is happening in
Abaqulusi, as I have always done. I also want to tell you what is happening
elsewhere, so that you will know what can be done to set things right.

When I visited Abaqulusi in April last year, I explained what had happened after
the 2011 Local Government Elections, when the NFP took all its votes and gave
them straight to the ANC. They went from posturing as an alternative to the ANC,
right into a coalition with the ANC. Now the NFP is hamstrung to give you
anything other than what the ANC gives. They are a useless opposition, for they
simply toe the line.

But that coalition moved the Abaqulusi Local Municipality away from the IFP,
which had served you for almost twenty years under a democratic Government and
had served you faithfully for twenty years before that; and it gave Abaqulusi
away. You didn't ask for an ANC leadership, but that's what you got, because
neither the ANC nor the NFP respected your vote. By pooling their votes, they
took over the municipality. That proved to be bad news for Abaqulusi District.

Let me remind you what happened in this Municipality when the ANC/NFP coalition
took over. Within the first year, the Municipality's financial statements
recorded 15 million Rands worth of Irregular Expenditure. The Auditor General
was not even convinced that this figure reflected the true amount of what had
been misspent by the Municipality.

This is additional to the R19,1 million of Unauthorised Expenditure, and the
hundreds of thousands of Rands of Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure. The
Auditor General's Report explained that it could not measure performance,
because no performance targets were ever set. In other words, from the outset no
commitment was made as to when and how promises would be fulfilled.

This reflects the long tradition in the ruling party of making promises that it
does not intend to keep, or that it is wholly incapable of delivering. Another
longstanding tradition of the ruling party is the belief that it can do business
with whomever it wants, for whatever amount, without answering to anyone.

In contravention of the laws put in place to stop corruption, the Municipality
procured goods of up to R200 000 without bothering to get comparative quotes.
Goods and services above that amount were procured without inviting competitive
bids. And goods were procured from members in the service of the State. In other
words, from the moment they took over this municipality, the doors were open to
tenderpreneurs and friends of friends.

It is amazing how often, when people complain that promises are not fulfilled
and services are not delivered, the answer is that there is just no money. But
that is not true. Yes, Local Government is the Cinderella of governance and
municipalities receive far too little compared with the vast needs they must
serve. But there is money. Clearly, much of it is wasted.

There is also money that just sits there, and is never spent. In Abaqulusi, more
than R19 million was listed on the 2012 financial statement as being "Unspent
Grants". This is when municipalities are given money, and just don't use it.

That is not acceptable. Why must you accept inferior services and endure
hardship while money is wasted, or lies unspent? Corruption and poor leadership
are eating away at what is rightfully yours.

That is not the way it used to be under an IFP leadership. The IFP is
fundamentally opposed to corruption in any form. We made it a priority to ensure
that as much as possible was done, for the greatest possible benefit, with the
little we were given to do it with. We ensured that we were accountable to you,
the people we serve. We are a transparent Party, that accepts responsibility and
does what we say we will do.

In the first Local Government Elections after 1994, the electorate in Abaqulusi
asked the IFP to lead Abaqulusi Local Municipality. I am proud of the legacy we
built. Over the course of 17 years, we continued the work of governance we had
been doing through the KwaZulu Government before democracy.  It did not start
with Ms kaMagwaza-Msibi who was actually a cadre of the IFP, who implemented IFP
policies.  She always stated wherever she went that; "I am sent to do what I am
doing by the Prince," a reference to me as leader of the IFP.

Under my leadership, in the 19 years we led the KwaZulu Government, never once
was a single allegation of corruption ever levelled against my administration.
Corruption is not inevitable. It is not just par for the course. It is a cancer
that spreads from the top when leadership is weak and lacks integrity.

Just last week, the Former Commissioner of the South African Police Services Mr
Bheki Cele led a protest march against the Mayor of Zululand, who is the leader
of the National Freedom Party on the allegations that she is accused of abusing
municipal funds, using them for her Party.  We did not allow her to do that when
she was our Mayor.

Just before the last Local Government Elections in May 2011, Abaqulusi was one
of the few municipalities that received an unqualified audit report from the
Auditor General. It was given a clean bill of health as far as corruption is
concerned, and there was no suggestion that money was being squandered or
frittered away. Indeed, under the IFP, Abaqulusi was functioning as a good
steward of the money and resources allocated from the provincial government.

It was thus painful to see this municipality taken from the IFP in 2011; not
because the electorate changed its mandate, but because of a coalition between
our opponents that disregarded the will of the people.

So what can be done to turn all this around? The IFP has seen an interesting
trend since the May 2011 Local Government Elections. The results of by-elections
since then clearly tell us that the people of South Africa want the IFP to
return in strength in 2014. Support for our Party has been growing at a rapid
pace.

The unequivocal message is that the people want the IFP to return. You want the
IFP to come back stronger. Since May 2011, we have won by-elections in
Mtubatuba, in Ulundi and in Nongoma, where we increased our percentage of the
vote. We won in Nqutu and increased our percentage by almost 20%. We won in
Umtshezi, and also took uPhongolo from the NFP. We won for a second time in
Nongoma and increased our percentage of the vote. We again increased our share
of the vote in Nqutu. We took Hlabisa from the NFP, we won in KwaMashu more than
once, and we took Nkandla, the hometown of the ANC President, away from the ANC.

That is the kind of support the IFP is getting. There is no mistaking the
message from the electorate, that the IFP is wanted, needed and supported. We
are back on an upward path.

This is good news for Abaqulusi. Because on the 7th of May you will have the
opportunity to shift the balance of power back to the IFP. You will be able to
express your voice loudly and clearly, and demand a return of a leadership of
integrity. The power is yours to vote IFP.

I want to urge you, friends, to go to the voting stations on the 7th of May and
cast your vote for the IFP. Look at what we have done for you in the past, and
then consider what we can do together, today.

Don't accept poor leadership, in the hope that it might get better. Change it
through the ballot box. The only way that things are going to improve in
Abaqulusi, and in your home, is by bringing back a party of integrity. So I urge
you, vote for the IFP. Tell your friends to vote for the IFP. Tell your
neighbours and your family and everyone you meet, to vote for the IFP.

The best thing you can do in the next 21 days is to mobilise support for an IFP
victory in the coming election. Read our manifesto. Find out what the IFP has
committed to do for you, and take heart, because our commitments are commitments
you can take to the bank. We have laid out clear action steps to achieve the
kind of country we believe you deserve. We haven't just painted a pretty
picture. We've included the road map on how to get there.

The IFP wants to partner with you to create a future that is far better than the
present. We are listening and we have your best interests at heart. I hope you
will talk to us in the next three weeks, and continue that dialogue in the five
years we serve you after May the 7th.

I encourage you to speak to the IFP through our dedicated sms number and share
with us what you think about our country, the elections, the IFP, or anything
that's on your mind. Just sms the word TALK and your comment to 49199. It costs
just R1,50, and we are listening. You can also join the IFP, by smsing the word
JOIN to the same number, 49199, and one of our leaders will be in touch.

The power to change South Africa is in your hands. The power to create tomorrow
is yours. Make good use of your vote in 2014. Vote for the IFP.

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