The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has unveiled top regional leaders it has poached from the EFF, African Transformation Movement and the DA.
The unveiling of the members took place in Durban today, 28 March 2025 and it was presided over by Thami Ntuli, the chairperson of the IFP in KwaZulu-Natal.
Ntuli is also the Premier of the province in the government of provincial unity involving the IFP, ANC, DA and the National Freedom Party.
The IFP was also supposed to unveil a former member of the provincial legislature, but said that would now be done at a later date after the “big fish” was held up by other commitments and could not be present.
Among those unveiled includes Tholinhlanhla Mthiyane, the former deputy chairperson of the EFF in eThekwini. Mthiyane is also a former councillor in the eThekwini municipality. They also unveiled Lungelo Khumalo, the former deputy regional chairperson in Uthukela and Zanele Biyela, a former EFF ward secretary.
Speaking at the welcoming ceremony that also included about 140 ordinary members from the ANC and MK Party, Ntuli said the IFP is preparing to unveil other new members as it prepares for the 2026 local government elections. In the elections, Ntuli said, they aim to increase the number of municipalities they govern, and where they could not win, they want to increase their representation so that they can have a greater say while in opposition benches.
Ntuli was adamant that the members would add value to the party as it heads to the 2026 local government elections renewed after celebrating its 50th anniversary last week in the historic Zulu capital of Ulundi.
“I was quite impressed, at face value, to see some of the energetic young leaders who have joined the IFP from other political parties because when they were at my office this morning, I realized that they were going to add value to the IFP.
“‘I would like to urge the leaders of the IFP to give them space to work, not to tell them that they are new in the party,” Ntuli said.
Speaking on behalf of the new members, Mthiyane said they would make the presence of the IFP felt across the provinces, even in places where it had no presence.
