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Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa (born 4 January 1965) is a South African politician and former teacher who has been President of the
Inkatha Freedom Party The Inkatha Freedom Party ( zu, IQembu leNkatha yeNkululeko, IFP) is a right-wing political party in South Africa. The party has been led by Velenkosini Hlabisa since the party's 2019 National General Conference. Mangosuthu Buthelezi founded ...
(IFP) and the Leader of the Opposition in the
KwaZulu-Natal Legislature The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature is the primary legislative body of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is unicameral in its composition and elects the premier and the provincial cabinet from among the leading party or coalition members i ...
since 2019. He served as the Secretary-General of the IFP from 2011 to 2017 and as the Mayor of the Big Five Hlabisa Local Municipality from 2016 to 2019.


Early life, education and career

Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa was born on 4 January 1965 in Hlabisa, Northern Natal. He is the eldest of four children. He joined the IFP Youth Brigade at the age of thirteen in 1978 and matriculated from high school in 1983. Hlabisa then proceeded to study at the
University of Zululand The University of Zululand or UniZulu is the only comprehensive tertiary educational institution north of the Tugela River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its new status is in accordance with South Africa's National Plan for Higher Education a ...
and the
University of South Africa The University of South Africa (UNISA), known colloquially as Unisa, is the largest university system in South Africa by enrollment. It attracts a third of all higher education students in South Africa. Through various colleges and affiliates, U ...
. His father died while he was at university in 1990. In 1991, he sought employment as a teacher and worked as one at Ngebeza High School for five years and soon as principal of Somfula High School for twenty years.


Political career

In the 1995 municipal elections, Hlabisa was elected a municipal councillor for the town of Hlabisa. He continuously served as a municipal councillor for twenty-four years, during which he was Mayor of the Big Five Hlabisa Local Municipality from 2016 to 2019. In May 2019, he was elected to the
KwaZulu-Natal Legislature The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature is the primary legislative body of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is unicameral in its composition and elects the premier and the provincial cabinet from among the leading party or coalition members i ...
and given the title of Leader of the Opposition due to the IFP reclaiming the title of second-largest party in the province. Hlabisa is a member of the legislature's Finance committee.


IFP leadership

Since joining the IFP in 1978, Hlabisa had risen through the party's leadership ranks. He was elected Secretary-General of the party in 2011. In 2017, the IFP's Extended National Council unanimously endorsed Hlabisa to succeed
Mangosuthu Buthelezi Prince Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (born 27 August 1928) is a South African politician and Zulu traditional leader who is currently a Member of Parliament and the traditional prime minister to the Zulu royal family. He was Chief Minister of the ...
as party president. Hlabisa was elected unopposed as the new leader of the IFP at the party's 35th National General Conference held in August 2019.


References


External links


Mr Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa at People's Assembly profileHon. VF Hlabisa – KZN LegislatureOur President – Inkatha Freedom Party
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hlabisa, Velenkosini 1965 births Living people Zulu people Inkatha Freedom Party politicians Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature People from KwaZulu-Natal University of Zululand alumni University of South Africa alumni Mayors of places in South Africa