IFP bleeds as top officials defect to ANC

With the general election due next year, the IFP has suffered three important defections.

Yesterday, three of its senior members in KwaZulu-Natal jumped ship to join the ANC.

One of the defectors is IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi's speech writer, Roman Liptak.

Liptak, who represented the IFP in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, crossed the floor with fellow legislator and health spokesman Usha Roopnarain.

They both resigned from the party a fortnight ago.

Pat Lebenya-Ntanzi, a former IFP Youth Brigade leader, was also introduced to the media as a new ANC member by the ANC's provincial secretary, Sihle Zikalala.

Liptak said the IFP was a "hangover" from apartheid and that it belonged in the past.

He said the ANC was the party he should have joined 10 years ago.

Liptak said that during his time as an IFP member he had not seen a single discussion document. Instead there was endless persecution of individuals whose views differed from those of the leadership.

Zikalala said that, over the years, Liptak, Roopnarain and Lebenya-Ntanzi had tried to help the IFP to adapt to the new democratic dispensation.

"[The defections by] these high- calibre leaders from the IFP proves that the people of KwaZulu-Natal regard the ANC as the only party for the future," said Zikalala.

He said the trio followed all the procedures required to join the ANC.

"They are members of the [ANC] branches where they reside.

"Our country is going through restructuring processes and the three leaders will also advance to that," he said.

IFP secretary-general Sibongile Nkomo said: "The defections by these three members to the ANC is sad but not surprising.

"The IFP wishes to formally place on record that these members were not dismissed from their deployment positions but were merely recalled. They then resigned of their own free will and volition.

"We are currently assembling our A-team [for] the 2014 elections and those who do not make the cut naturally feel aggrieved."

ANC provincial chairman Senzo Mchunu said none of the three had been promised a position in the party.