The Inkatha Freedom Party is a conservative political party in South Africa,which is a part of the current South African government of national unity together with the African National Congress (ANC). Although registered as a national party,it has had only minor electoral success outside its home province of KwaZulu-Natal. Mangosuthu Buthelezi,who served as chief minister of KwaZulu during the Apartheid period,founded the party in 1975 and led it until 2019. He was succeeded as party president in 2019 by Velenkosini Hlabisa.
Prince Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was a South African politician and Zulu prince who served as the traditional prime minister to the Zulu royal family from 1954 until his death in 2023. He was appointed to this post by King Bhekuzulu,the son of King Solomon kaDinuzulu,a brother to Buthelezi's mother Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu.
Frank Themba Mdlalose was the first Premier of the newly renamed KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa,after the African National Congress (ANC) won the country's first all-inclusive general election on 27 April 1994,while the Inkatha Freedom Party won a majority in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature.
Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande is a South African politician,sociologist,and former anti-apartheid activist who is currently serving as Minister of Science,Technology and Innovation. A cabinet minister since 2009,Nzimande was the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party from 1998 to 2022.
Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi was a South African politician who was the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of South Africa in the cabinet of Jacob Zuma. She was also President of the National Freedom Party (NFP). Prior to being elected to Parliament,she served for nineteen years as a councillor,fifteen of those years as Mayor of the Zululand District Municipality. She was formerly chairperson of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the IFP's candidate for Premier of KwaZulu-Natal in the 2009 general election.
Baldwin Sipho "Ben" Ngubane was a politician from South Africa. He held multiple positions in the post-apartheid government of the country. In particular,he was Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from 1997 to 1999 and Minister of Arts,Culture,Science and Technology from 1994 until 31 August 1996 and from February 1999 until April 2004.
The first cabinet of Thabo Mbeki was the cabinet of the government of South Africa from 18 June 1999 until 29 April 2004. It was established by President Mbeki after his ascension to the presidency in the 1999 general election,replacing the transitional Government of National Unity. It remained in office until the next general election in 2004. Comprising 27 ministers,it was dominated by the majority party,the African National Congress,although the Inkatha Freedom Party also held three positions.
Mkhuleko Hlengwa is a South African politician who is currently serving as the Deputy Minister of Transport since July 2024. He is the national spokesperson of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and has represented the party in the National Assembly since May 2012.
Narend Singh is a South African politician who is the chief whip of the Inkatha Freedom Party in the National Assembly and the treasurer-general of the party. Prior to joining the National Assembly in 2007,he was a Member of the Executive Council in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government from 1997 until 2006 and a member of the Senate from 1994 to 1996.
Nomalungelo Gina is a South African politician from KwaZulu-Natal who is currently serving as the Deputy Minister of Science,Technology and Innovation since June 2024. She has represented the African National Congress in the National Assembly since May 2009.
Inka Mars was a German-born South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Inkatha Freedom Party from 1994 to 2009. Prior to her election to parliament,she worked for the Red Cross.
Sankie Dolly Mthembi-Mahanyele,formerly known as Sankie Mthembi-Nkondo or Sankie Nkondo,is a South African politician,diplomat,and former anti-apartheid activist. She was the Minister of Housing from 1995 to 2003 and served as Deputy Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) from 2002 to 2007.
Lionel Percival Hercules Mbeki Mtshali was a South African politician who was Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from 1999 to 2004. He was known for unilaterally ordering the expansion of the province's antiretrovirals programme during the HIV/AIDS epidemic,in defiance of the policy of the national government under President Thabo Mbeki. A founding member and former chairperson of the Inkatha Freedom Party,Mtshali was also national Minister of Arts,Culture,Science and Technology in the government of President Nelson Mandela from 1996 to 1999.
Keith Muntuwenkosi "Musa" Zondi is a South African politician who has been KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council for Economic Development,Tourism and Environmental Affairs since 2024. A member of the Inkatha Freedom Party,he was sworn in as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in October 2023. Previously,he served as Deputy Minister of Public Works from 2001 to 2004. He represented KwaZulu-Natal in the National Council of Provinces from 1994 to 1999 and in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2012. He served as the party's secretary-general and was widely touted as a possible successor to IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi before he resigned from his party office and legislative seat in February 2012.
Sybil Anne Seaton is a retired South African politician who represented the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in the National Assembly from 1994 to 2009,serving the KwaZulu-Natal constituency.
Ruth Rabinowitz is a South African politician and medical doctor who represented the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in Parliament from 1994 to 2009. She served in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 as a delegate from KwaZulu-Natal,and thereafter she was a member of the National Assembly.
Olaf Baloyi is a South African politician and civil servant. He represented the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in the National Assembly from 2001 to 2002,serving the KwaZulu-Natal constituency. Thereafter he was a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature from 2002 to 2004.
Eileen Eidana Nkosi-Shandu was a South African politician who served as Deputy Minister of Public Works in the South African Government of National Unity from 1996 to 1999. From 1999 to 2000,she was KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education,until she was sacked in a nepotism scandal.
Mzikayise Vincent Ngema is a South African politician who served in the National Assembly from 2002 to 2009. He was elected as a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) but crossed the floor to the National Democratic Convention (Nadeco) in September 2005. He was elected as secretary-general of Nadeco in April 2007.
