Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi
Encyclopedia
Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi is the national chairperson of the Inkatha Freedom Party
(IFP) in South Africa
and Mayor
of Zululand District Municipality
in KwaZulu-Natal
. As Premier candidate, she was at the forefront of the IFP's failed campaign for re-election to power in KwaZulu-Natal
during the 2009 general elections
, during which there were frequent bouts of electoral violence
between her party and the ruling African National Congress
.
had to be called in to escort the dignitaries out of harm's away. Although the IFP circulated the complaint amongst numerous websites, issued it to the press and posted it on its official website
, a Google
search for the terms "kaMagwaza-Msibi" and "Gamalakhe" yields not a single independent source.
, KaMagwaza-Msibi hosted the IFP's final pre-election news conference on Tuesday, April 14, at Northwood Crusaders Sports Club, Durban North
, where they adumbrated their ten-point plan for the party's first 100 days back in provincial power. Also launched was the SIZONQOBA campaign, the IFP's final election drive for the province.
Zapiro
took the opportunity to lampoon its long-serving leader with the tag "just about finished", while other reports had it that KaMagwaza-Msibi was suffering ill health.
in addition to the many public meetings she is already chairing across Natal to thank all those who voted IFP. As of May 3, her itinerary had covered Zululand
, Amajuba and eThekwini
.
The IFP also announced that, rather than lead the party as official opposition in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
, KaMagwaza-Msibi had opted to stay on as Mayor of the Zululand District Municipality
as part of efforts to revive the IFP's grassroots support ahead of the 2011 local government elections. "The party's post-election
priority is the need to accelerate service delivery at local level
rather than play opposition politics," she announced after consulting at length with the party's internal structures.
Inkatha Freedom Party
The Inkatha Freedom Party is a political party in South Africa. Since its founding, it has been led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. It is currently the fourth largest party in the National Assembly of South Africa.-History:...
(IFP) in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Zululand District Municipality
Zululand District Municipality
Zululand is one of the 11 district municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal province. The seat of Zululand is Ulundi. The majority of its 804,456 people speak IsiZulu . The district code is DC26...
in KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
. As Premier candidate, she was at the forefront of the IFP's failed campaign for re-election to power in KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
during the 2009 general elections
South African general election, 2009
South Africa held national and provincial elections to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each province on 22 April 2009....
, during which there were frequent bouts of electoral violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
between her party and the ruling African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
.
Violence at Gamalakhe
On April 8, at 21:16, the IFP issued a press statement accusing ANC members of assaulting kaMagwaza-Msibi and others in the Gamalakhe township of Port Shepstone, a historical melting pot for IFP-ANC tensions. The incident began, according to the report, when some fifty ANC backers, in flagrant contravention of the Electoral Code of Conduct, disrupted an official IFP event and hurled abuse at the party's representatives and supporters. The report added that the South African Police ServiceSouth African Police Service
The South African Police Service is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1116 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province...
had to be called in to escort the dignitaries out of harm's away. Although the IFP circulated the complaint amongst numerous websites, issued it to the press and posted it on its official website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, a Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
search for the terms "kaMagwaza-Msibi" and "Gamalakhe" yields not a single independent source.
Final drive
Alongside party leader Mangosuthu ButheleziMangosuthu Buthelezi
Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi is a South African Zulu politician who founded the Inkatha Freedom Party in 1975 and continues to lead the party today.His praise name is Shenge.-Early life:...
, KaMagwaza-Msibi hosted the IFP's final pre-election news conference on Tuesday, April 14, at Northwood Crusaders Sports Club, Durban North
Durban North
Durban North is a suburb located north of Durban, on the eastern side of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Durban North is on the north side of the Umgeni River. It is part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, created in 2000, which includes the greater Durban area.A beach known to locals as...
, where they adumbrated their ten-point plan for the party's first 100 days back in provincial power. Also launched was the SIZONQOBA campaign, the IFP's final election drive for the province.
Worst-ever IFP performance
The IFP performed unprecedentedly badly at the polls, taking just 4.55 per cent of the national vote and coming nowhere near victory in Natal. This prompted widespread speculation in the media that its days as a political force were numbered. Far-famed cartoonistCartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Zapiro
Zapiro
Jonathan Shapiro, born 1958 in Cape Town, is a South African cartoonist, famous as Zapiro, whose work appears in numerous South African publications and has been exhibited internationally on many occasions...
took the opportunity to lampoon its long-serving leader with the tag "just about finished", while other reports had it that KaMagwaza-Msibi was suffering ill health.
Post-election efforts
On May 3, in a bid to address its problems and dispel media rumours about the well-being of its national chairperson, the IFP announced that she would host several post-election ralliesDemonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
in addition to the many public meetings she is already chairing across Natal to thank all those who voted IFP. As of May 3, her itinerary had covered Zululand
Zululand District Municipality
Zululand is one of the 11 district municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal province. The seat of Zululand is Ulundi. The majority of its 804,456 people speak IsiZulu . The district code is DC26...
, Amajuba and eThekwini
Ethekwini
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality created in 2000 that includes the city of Durban, South Africa and surrounding towns. eThekwini is one of the 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The majority of its 3,090,126 people speak Zulu...
.
The IFP also announced that, rather than lead the party as official opposition in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature is the primary legislative body of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is unicameral in its composition, and elects the premier and the provincial cabinet from among the members of the leading party or coalition in the parliament.-Officers:* Speaker - N.P...
, KaMagwaza-Msibi had opted to stay on as Mayor of the Zululand District Municipality
Zululand District Municipality
Zululand is one of the 11 district municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal province. The seat of Zululand is Ulundi. The majority of its 804,456 people speak IsiZulu . The district code is DC26...
as part of efforts to revive the IFP's grassroots support ahead of the 2011 local government elections. "The party's post-election
priority is the need to accelerate service delivery at local level
rather than play opposition politics," she announced after consulting at length with the party's internal structures.