Women at the Inkatha Freedom Party‘s manifesto launch in Durban have appealed to the party, should it come into government following the general elections this year, to prioritise job opportunities for women and the youth.
They are among the thousands who have packed the Moses Mabhida stadium for the launch.
“As women, our main concern is gender-based violence, we want basic services like water and electricity. Majority of the people are unemployed, we want jobs, we want projects like farming that can sustain us. Once the IFP comes to power, we want it to develop rural areas, we want free education for young people. We want young people to also be equipped with skills.”
IFP launches its elections 2024 manifesto:
Other IFP supporters who regard themselves as the preservers of Zulu culture and tradition, say the time has come for the party to prioritise cultural values.
Bongumusa Zungu and Thembinkosi Mbuli are from KwaNongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal. They say they want to see the expansion of traditional activities in rural areas and the deepening of cultural values in families.
“We want IFP to restore our cultural values as the founder of the party Mangosuthu Buthelezi had been doing. We mustn’t forget about our roots as they are the foundation of our lives. We cannot leave our cultures and assimilate other people’s cultures. As I grew up in rural areas but staying in Durban we need to stick to our cultures. We expect the IFP to prioritise the interests of Amakhosi so that our values will be protected.”
