FOUR IFP supporters suffered serious injuries when the bus they were travelling with from Vryheid to the party’s 50th anniversary celebration event in Ulundi, northern KwaZulu-Natal, crashed during the early hours.

No fatalities were reported to date.

The IFP’s Youth Brigade national secretary and party councillor in Johannesburg, Mlungusi Mabaso, confirmed the incident during an interview with Newzroom Africa.

“We are disappointed that the injured comrades will not be part of today's celebrations as we mark this huge milestone. We hope they would have recovered by the time we host the Gauteng leg of the celebrations,” said Mabaso.

He added that more than 30 000 IFP backers were expected to fill the Prince Mangosuthu Regional Stadium in Ulundi, which was named after the founding leader of the late IFP Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

Party bigwigs led by the incumbent President Velenkosini Hlabisa and KwaZulu-Natal's premier and the IFP's provincial chairperson, Thami Ntuli, were expected to address the party's faithful.

During the launch of festivities earlier this year, Hlabisa said: “From its very foundation, the IFP has been home to people of goodwill, drawing us together under a common banner of all those who seek peace, prosperity, justice and freedom. Our Party was created to serve the needs and aspirations of all those who love South Africa, who seek its best interests and, who long to build South Africa and put its people first.”

Buthelezi’s surviving son, Zuzifa, was also listed to speak at the event.

The IFP was formed on March 21, 1975 by Buthelezi, who had defected from the ANC.

At the time, it was called the Inkatha National Cultural Liberation Movement, or Inkatha yeNkululeko yeSizwe.

The party has enjoyed significant support in KZN until its late national chairperson Zanele KaMagwaza-Msibi dumped the party to form the National Freedom Party (NFP) in 2011, which saw scores of former IFP members defecting with her.

However, the IFP managed to regain lost ground by reclaiming key municipalities in KZN during the 2016 local government elections.

The IFP was now a part of the ten-party National Government of Unity and the Government of Provincial Unity in KZN.

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