HLABISA HITS BACK AT MALEMA OVER APARTHEID-ERA VIOLENCE AS IFP AND EFF CLASH AT IEC RESULTS CENTRE
MIDRAND: Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) President Velenkosini Hlabisa has hit back at Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema following his remarks about the IFP’s alleged involvement in political violence during the apartheid era.
Hlabisa said the EFF should focus on addressing its performance in the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE) instead of accusing the IFP of killing women and children.
The exchange follows Malema’s media briefing at the IEC National Results Operations Centre, where he criticised several political parties, including the IFP, over their historical involvement in political violence.
Hlabisa said more than 12,000 IFP members were killed during political violence involving rival political organisations during the apartheid era.
He argued that the IFP would not use the National Results Centre as a platform to reopen historical political conflicts, insisting that the election results and the parties’ performance should remain the focus.
Hlabisa further rejected the suggestion that IFP members were responsible for violence without acknowledging that they were also victims.
He maintained that the deaths of IFP members should not be ignored when discussing the country’s history of political violence.
“More than 12,000 IFP members did not kill themselves. It takes two to tango,” Hlabisa said, arguing that the violence involved opposing political forces and that the IFP should not be singled out.
