‘We don’t respond to nonsense’ – IFP hits back at Malema

In one of the shortest and most dismissive statements from one political party to another, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) responded to strong allegations made by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) about the party.

During an address to the provincial ground forces forum in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, Malema accused the IFP of misappropriating public funds and running a sex-for-jobs scheme in KwaZulu-Natal municipalities.

In response to Malema’s comments, IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa issued a brief statement, saying: “Over the past few hours, we have been inundated with media enquiries to react to utterances by EFF Leader, Julius Malema at a rent-a-crowd event held in Pietermaritzburg this past weekend.

“As a general rule asiwuphenduli umsangano [we do not respond to nonsense].”

ALSO READ: IFP known for ‘sexual favours, financial mismanagement’, Malema tells KZN members

Speaking over the weekend, Malema said: “We must keep an eye on the IFP because there are sexual scandals and financial mismanagement everywhere they govern.

“They don’t hire people properly, they use sexual favours, that is the way of the IFP. We can’t say we are an alternative if we are scared of IFP and ANC.

“In the absence of violence, IFP and ANC won’t win elections, they win because of violence.”

The EFF leader further slammed IFP mayors and speakers for allegedly having multiple bodyguards, adding that they suffer from “paranoia.

“How can a mayor of a rural municipality have 14 bodyguards? The speaker with nine?

“We must remove anything IFP, they used to threaten and intimidate people, they won’t do that with the EFF.

ALSO READ: IFP, EFF tensions escalate

“That puppetry president of IFP pretends he has power, we are not ANC, they won’t intimidate us. We are facing two sides here in KZN – the ANC and the IFP.”

ALSO READ: EFF should provide proof of assassination plot – IFP president

The IFP’s statement has been trending on social media as South Africans commend the party for a response.

Earlier this year, the EFF claimed it received a briefing from the SAPS that senior leaders of the IFP were plotting to allegedly assassinate EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini.

The EFF said the “reliable intelligence reports” reveal that senior leaders of the IFP believed that Dlamini is solely responsible for the collective decision the party took to initiate and support motions of no confidence against IFP mayors in several municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the SAPS was “not aware of any briefing to the EFF”.

The IFP called on the EFF to produce evidence of the alleged assassination plot.

“[They are] baseless and fabricated allegations,” said Hlengwa.

ALSO READ: EFF ‘dismayed’ by alleged IFP plots to assassinate Marshall Dlamini

Additional reporting by Faizel Patel