DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has officially advanced its campaign for the upcoming municipal polls with the IFP 2026 local government election manifesto launch, unveiling a comprehensive strategy aimed at overhauling service delivery and strengthening local governance across South Africa.
Held at the historically significant Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, Durban, the event honored the legacy of the late IFP founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, as the venue is named after his mother. Party President Velenkosini Hlabisa addressed thousands of supporters, presenting a forward-looking document focused on improving the socioeconomic conditions of communities over the next five years while reflecting on the party’s governance track record since the 2021 elections.
Emphasizing a shift from empty promises to tangible results, Hlabisa stated that the IFP understands what it takes to govern. “Leadership is not about slogans. It is about showing up, solving problems, and serving people with humility, discipline, and integrity,” Hlabisa said. He called on South Africans to partner with the IFP to build stronger municipalities, pledging active collaboration with traditional leaders, all spheres of government, business, civil society, and professional bodies.
The party is fielding close to 3,200 candidates nationwide, a significant increase from the more than 2,500 candidates deployed in 2021. IFP National Spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa, who is also the party’s mayoral candidate for the eThekwini Metro, noted that the party has tightened its election machinery to avoid previous shortcomings, such as failing to submit candidates in certain areas. He emphasized an inclusive candidate selection process designed to ensure the democratic will of party structures, membership, and branches prevails.
The newly launched manifesto consolidates the party’s 2021 ten-point plan into five core pillars for the 2026–2031 outlook. Key priorities include the reliable provision of basic services such as water, electricity, refuse collection, durable roads, streetlights, and safe environments. Hlengwa highlighted that the party has implemented strict consequence management at the political level, including the recall of underperforming mayors, to safeguard public trust and maintain clean audits in municipalities under its control.
Addressing the reality of coalition politics, Hlengwa asserted that the IFP has led the most stable coalition governments in the country, citing successful examples in Newcastle and the Zululand district. For the eThekwini Metro, Hlengwa identified resolving the persistent water crisis as an apex priority. He proposed innovative accountability measures, such as installing cameras inside municipal water tanker trucks, to combat corruption, enforce transparency, and prevent contractors from “double-dipping” while residents are forced to pay drivers for water.
The spokesperson also addressed the shifting political landscape in KwaZulu-Natal, expressing deep concern over the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s internal candidate manipulation and alleged corruption. Hlengwa argued that a party struggling with its own internal processes cannot be trusted with a massive R75 billion municipal budget.
Furthermore, touching on the safety of candidates amid reported political violence, Hlengwa issued a clarion call to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Malanga Commission. He urged that full resources be deployed to ensure the November 4 elections remain free, fair, and free from fear for all candidates, participants, and the electorate.
Following the 2021 elections, the IFP controlled 19 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal with an outright majority while cooperating with other political parties in seven. As the party seeks to retain these traditional strongholds and expand into new areas, its focus for the next 45 days will be on heightened grassroots mobilization, taking this five-pillar value proposition directly to voters across the length and breadth of the country.
