South African History Online

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Inkatha Freedom Party

> link: what is in a name? Inkatha

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is a political formation with a Zulu nationalist and para-military flavour. It originates in the Zulu cultural movement Inkatha Yenkululeko Yesizwe (Inkatha Freedom Nation), formed in 1928 by King Solomon Dinizulu. Inkatha is a Zulu word with several meanings. Originally coined by the Zulu King Cetshwayo, it referred to Zulu national unity. It is also the name given to the woven grass coil placed either on the head or the apex of a traditional thatch hut roof for carrying pots or for drying meat in the sun, respectively. Used in 1975 by Chief Buthelezi emotively to fan Zulu nationalism and allegiance to him, it was later constituted as a political party. Inkatha’s initial aim was to restore the Zulu kingdom and the land that Zulu people lost as a result of colonisation. The headquarters of the IFP were housed at Ulundi, the former capital of the Zulu Kingdom.

The IFP was founded with some support from the African National Congress. The relationship between the two parties soured as the IFP cooperated with the apartheid government’s homeland system. In the Kwazulu homeland, the IFP used its control of resources such as housing and pension to build its support base. Later, it took stronger measures to ensure loyalty and crush opposition. This included violence and attacks on non IFP card carrying members. Because of its strong appeal to Zulu nationalism, the IFP support base was largely drawn from the rural areas of traditional authorities around Zululand.

In the 1980s, as clashes with the Government and liberation movement grew increasingly violent, hostilities between the ANC and Inkatha became endemic around Inkatha strongholds in Natal and in Gauteng townships. The IFP clandestinely worked in concert with the police, security police and state sponsored assassination squads. It was later uncovered that Inkatha was supplied and trained by the police, and was responsible for much of the violence and killings, especially in Natal. During the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, the IFP aligned itself with the Afrikaner Conservative Party. The latter broke away from the National Party in 1983 when P.W. Botha introduced the tricameral parliament reforms to extend limited representation to Coloureds and Indians. The IFP had previously refused to negotiate with the Botha government on the grounds that political prisoners should first be freed. During the 1983 constitutional reforms, the IFP and Progressive Federal Party opposed the reforms and demanded the inclusion of Black people and a Bill of Rights. The IFP campaigned internationally for disinvestments as an incentive for reforms.

A late arrival at the first democratic elections, the IFP has suffered steadily declining support over the subsequent two general elections. In the 2004 election the IFP lost control of the province of KwaZulu-Natal to the ANC with its overwhelming national majority.

To link to our Grade 12 Classroom lesson on The Move to Democracy, which considers the IFP/ANC relationship, click here.