President Cyril Ramaphosa says despite all the difficulties, they have to fulfil the wish of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, of having the ANC and the IFP reconciled. He was speaking at the Special Official Funeral of the founding President of the IFP in Ulundi earlier this afternoon.
It has been Buthelezi’s wish to have the two parties to be reconciled following the drawn-out political violence in the 1980’s and 1990’s which claimed the lives of over 20 000 people.
With his passing last week, some IFP members have expressed doubt that this could ever happen.
But President Ramaphosa says they have to work together to fulfil the wish of the elder statesman.
“Prince Buthelezi took time to express to me his desire to see the IFP and the African National Congress permanently reconciled and working together to build our country. For this, he earned my admiration. We carry the heavy weight of memories, and of many heartaches. But difficult as it may be right now, it is important that we fulfil the wishes he had for a sustainable and durable reconciliation, not only between the IFP and the ANC, but amongst all of us as the people of South Africa,” says Ramaphosa.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s son, Zuzifa, says the family find peace that their father is to be united with his wife and his mother, Princess Irene, who passed away in 2019.
Speaking during the funeral service in Ulundi, Zuzifa Buthelezi has said his father was a patriot.
“To know that he is united with our mother, his beloved wife Princess Irene Thandekile and our grandmother Princess Magogo KaDinuzulu who shapes his faith, we are deeply comforted. Our father was first and foremost a Christian. Secondly, he was a husband and a father. Thirdly, he was a patriot which I believe so many of you are here today because of that last one … that he was a patriot of this nation and beyond. I remember him saying God made me a Zulu, I speak Zulu, I have a Zulu culture, and I am proud of that. I would never apologize to anyone for that, but I also live in a country called South Africa which makes me a South African.”
Meanwhile, Zuzifa Buthelezi says he learnt a lot by just observing his father.
“UMntwana, what we learnt from him mostly was through observing him. Because you know as they say you can beat up the child and shout at a child, but the child just watches what you do and mimic you. I think also personally, I’ve lived a very beautiful life. For many months, I’ve spent a lot of time next to my father and just learning by observing him. So, when I say a beautiful life, I am also not talking about luxury. I’ve just simply spent a beautiful life of every day learning.”
