IFP to testify at Moerane Commission
19 September 2017
Durban - The Inkatha Freedom Party is expected to testify at the Moerane Commission on Tuesday morning.
The commission is investigating underlying causes in political killings in KwaZulu-Natal.
Evidence leader Advocate Bheki Manyathi told the commission on Monday afternoon that his next witness was the IFP.
The commission held in Durban had earlier heard that factions in the African National Congress contributed to the political killings in the province.
Political killings will increase in KZN as the ANC's December elective conference draws closer, said ANC councillor in Pongola municipality Nqaba Mkhwanazi, 65.
Elections
He told the commission that factionalism within the ANC was one of the underlying causes to political killings.
He said factions in the leadership of the KZN ANC were increasing instead of decreasing.
"As we head to the elective conference in December, KZN will have more than three factions. One camp is supporting Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, another supports Dr Zweli Mkhize while another supports Minister Jeff Radebe who are all from KZN. Another camp supports deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa," he said.
Mkhwanazi testified that besides factionalism, corruption also played a pivotal part in political killings in KZN.
"Corruption is the main contributor to the killings. Unemployment, poverty and tenders also have a role in the killings," he said.
He said the killings would stop if the ANC lost elections in KZN.
"There would be nothing or positions to compete for," he said.
Mkhwanazi said the ANC's NEC should call a provincial council in KZN to assist the province decide who they should nominate as their preferred presidential hopeful.
"From now until the elective conference, killings will continue if they don't call the provincial council," he said.
He said the increasing factions would also have an impact on the 2021 local government elections.
"There will also be more killings in the 2021 local government elections because of the factions," he said.
