Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 24 October 2025 | 14:45 CAT

📸Political analyst Dr Imraan Buccus joins Radio Islam International’s weekly ASRI Report, reflecting on the IFP’s 50-year journey and its evolving role in South African politics.

After marking its 50th anniversary this week, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) stands at a defining crossroads in South Africa’s political landscape. Once synonymous with violence and division, the party has over the past decade sought to reinvent itself as a force for stability and renewal, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), where it continues to command strong grassroots support.

Speaking on Radio Islam International’s ASRI Report, political analyst Dr Imraan Buccus reflected on the IFP’s complex legacy, from its bloody origins to its modern-day resurgence.

“The IFP is now 50 years old, and while it celebrated its milestone in Gauteng, an interesting choice given its KZN stronghold, questions remain about its history and credibility,” Dr Buccus said. “Between 1989 and 1994, the IFP was involved in what was essentially a civil war against the ANC, during which nearly 20,000 people died. One cannot speak about the IFP without acknowledging that violence, especially under Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s leadership.”

While its violent past remains etched in South Africa’s collective memory with flashpoints like Boipatong and the East Rand massacres, Dr Buccus noted that the IFP’s recent trajectory tells a story of calculated political revival.

For much of the post-apartheid era, the IFP appeared to be fading. “Up to about 2014, the IFP’s electoral graph was in sharp decline,” Dr Buccus explained. “But in 2019 we saw a turnaround and again in 2024 signaling a rebirth of the party.”

This resurgence, he added, can be linked to the decline of its splinter group, the National Freedom Party (NFP), and a conscious rebranding effort. “The IFP began shifting from being a narrowly Zulu nationalist party to a more inclusive one. It started fielding Indian representatives in Phoenix and Chatsworth, even some white members, and began attracting a younger, forward-looking electorate.”

Disillusionment with the ANC’s governance, coupled with socio-economic hardship in KZN, also contributed to the IFP’s gains. “When people face unemployment and poverty, and a party on the fringes offers what they think is a solution, they naturally move toward it,” Dr Buccus said.

Under the leadership of Velenkosini Hlabisa, who succeeded the late Mangosuthu Buthelezi in 2019, the IFP has focused on balancing continuity with modernisation. “Hlabisa has done a fairly good job at rebuilding the party,” Dr Buccus remarked. “But internal fractures and leadership struggle still exist even if they don’t always make headlines.”

He cautioned that for the IFP to sustain momentum, it must address its lingering ethnic image and prove its relevance beyond provincial politics. “If the party can project itself as less of a Zulu party and offer fresh ideas to national politics, it stands a chance of survival perhaps even growth in KZN. But its national prospects remain limited,” Dr Buccus added.

The IFP currently governs KwaZulu-Natal, where its 2024 electoral success positioned it as a leading political force in the province and a key partner in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

While the IFP retains a historical presence in parts of Gauteng, Dr Buccus believes its expansion beyond KZN will be difficult. “I can’t see them picking up votes in provinces like the Western Cape or Free State,” he said. “It will remain a KZN party with tentacles in Gauteng.”

As the IFP turns 50, the question remains whether it can evolve from its regional base into a modern, inclusive political force or remain bound to the past that both defines and haunts it.

Dr Buccus also noted two major national developments to monitor, the Madlanga Commission proceedings and South Africa’s historic role as the first African nation to host the G20 Summit later this year. “It’s a significant moment,” he said. “We take over from Brazil and hand over to the US, which will make for fascinating diplomacy given current tensions between the two nations.”

Listen to the full ASRI Report on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Ibrahim Daya and Dr Imraan Buccus.