FORMER president Jacob Zuma has shared his fond memories of the late IFP founder, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Zuma said he will remember Buthelezi as a man who, for quite a while, wanted his ANC membership restored as one of those who served as an ANC member for a long time.
The former president said Buthelezi's utterances meant a lot in terms of his political beliefs and understanding the needs of black people to work together, given the manner in which the apartheid machinery aimed to divide black people so that they could not be united.
“With all difficulties and challenges facing us as leaders, we reached a point of understanding each other and succeeded in addressing many complicated issues. We had become friends in the course of addressing complicated questions,” said Zuma.
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Zuma worked with Buthelezi to restore the lasting peace during the violent times in KZN between ANC and IFP supporters.
He said Buthelezi should be remembered as a man who played a remarkable role in supporting the Zulu monarch while he served as the Zulu nation's traditional prime minister until his last day.
Buthelezi died at his home in KwaPhindangene in Ulundi, KZN on Saturday, 9 September.
He would normally say he never resigned from the ANC as he was a party member after he formed the IFP in 1975.
He also normally said he wanted his ANC membership to be restored as the formation of the IFP was the ANC leadership's idea to have another political party to fight apartheid.
Buthelezi's funeral service will be held at Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Stadium in Ulundi on Friday, 15 September.
