INLSA
Bongani Hans
The ANC in Vryheid is determined to remove the name and portrait of IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi from its council chamber.
The Abaqulusi municipality has become the latest battleground in an ongoing spat between the IFP and the ANC.
The ANC and NFP (National Freedom Party), the coalition running the municipality, also decided to change the municipality’s emblem because it featured the face of an elephant – the IFP’s symbol.
The chamber, formerly the Prince Mangosuthu Council Chamber, would now be called the Abaqulusi Council Chamber.
At the uMvoti (Greytown) municipality, the name of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Street reverted to Pine Street.
In Durban, the ANC-run eThekwini municipality renamed Mangosuthu Highway in Umlazi after Struggle stalwart Griffiths Mxenge.
IFP councillor Dalokuhle Ntshangase said his party was holding a series of meetings to find ways of preventing the changes from being made.
“They cannot use their vote to destroy the prince’s (Buthelezi’s) name and legacy.
“We named the chamber after Buthelezi after we learnt that during apartheid he was assaulted by police in Vryheid for ignoring a curfew, which was imposed on black people,” Ntshangase said.
The ANC chief whip in Abaqulusi, Mbongeni Masondo, said that out of 44 councillors, 23 from the ANC and NFP had last week voted for the changes while the IFP’s 18 councillors had voted against.
The DA’s three councillors had abstained.
Buthelezi’s picture was duly removed soon after voting concluded on Thursday.
IFP Youth League chairman in Greytown, Elisha Langa, said his party would march today in protest.
IFP national organiser Albert Mncwango said his party would approach its members to intervene.
“Mtwana (Buthelezi) has a history in Vryheid because of his encounter with police there during apartheid.”
