IFP Campaign Launch, Municipal Elections 2000, 

Introductory Remarks by
Premier L. P. H. M. Mtshali, 
National Chairperson of the Inkatha Freedom Party 

DURBAN : OCTOBER 23, 2000      

 Ladies and Gentlemen: On behalf of the Inkatha Freedom Party, I welcome you to this press conference to launch the IFP’s campaign for the Municipal Elections 2000. I would just like to make a few remarks before intorducing to you the President of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Dr M G Buthelezi, who will formally launch the IFP campaign for the local elections.

  The IFP believes that local government has a vital role to play in improving the lives of our citizens. Despite the many changes we have experienced in the past decade in South Africa, too many of our people continue to live in poverty, denied access to basic services and to the opportunities to improve their own lives. Much has been promised but far too little delivered.

These local elections give us the opportunity to place development and delivery at the top of the political agenda. Local government must play its full part in tackling the injustices of the past, in giving voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless.

 Over the coming weeks, our candidates for the Municipal Elections, will be spreading the message of development and good governance throughout the cities and towns and rural areas of South Africa. They will be listening to the concerns and complaints of the people and unveiling the IFP’s proposals for accountable and effective local government, which delivers to the people whom it serves.

  Every IFP candidate contesting this election is pledged to become an ACTIVE councillor, serving the people as a representative, advocate and community leader. They will be bound by the IFP’s five principles of governance:

 Accountability to the electorate

Consultation with the local community

Transparency in all decision making

Innovation in seeking out new solutions

Value for money in all government spending

Efficiency in delivering services

 Every IFP councillor who is elected will be a powerful voice for development and delivery on their local council.

 These municipal elections come at a crucial time for all South Africans. Having secured our civil and political rights we now face the challenge of delivering social and economic rights to all the people. No one should underestimate the importance of this task. For civil and political freedoms can never flourish whilst millions of people are denied access to the most basic social and economic rights.

 Local government has a leading role to play in meeting the needs and aspirations of the people and ensuring that social and economic justice becomes the preserve of the many not just the few.

  As we embark upon this election campaign, our pledge to the South African people is that a vote for the IFP on December 5^th, is a vote for development and delivery to begin on December 6^th.

  Ladies and gentlemen: it is now my great privilege to introduce to you the President of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Dr M G Buthelezi, to formally launch the IFP’s campaign for the municipal elections.