The Inkatha Freedom Party says its committed to helping the people of Matatiele in the Eastern Cape to be re-incorporated into KwaZulu-Natal.
The IFP welcomed at least 800 new members at Umngeni village in Matatiele to the party's ranks on Sunday.
The new IFP members claim they have joined the IFP after being neglected by the ANC and the Eastern Cape government.
They were welcomed into the IFP by the party's national organiser Philani Magcaba and IFP Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Thabo Mandila.
Mandila said the IFP was committed to helping the people of Matatiele to be re-incorporated into KwaZulu-Natal, "which is nearer for them".
He described the decision some years ago to place Matatiele in the Eastern Cape as unjust due to underdevelopment in the province, even in areas close to the provincial capital Bhisho.
"We want to help you to be incorporated into KZN because it's just 250 km from here to Pietermaritzburg while you travel over 500 km to your capital city of Bhisho," said Mandila.
