Lindiwe Zulu’s hard-talking diplomatic style has recently come to the fore in a spectacular fashion.
Zulu, President Jacob Zuma’s international relations adviser, publicly excoriated the ANC Youth League after it had called for “regime change” in Botswana.
She told a Sunday newspaper: “I was in Zimbabwe not long ago and people there were saying, ‘What’s wrong with you? What’s happening? Tell us whether the youth league is the one in charge so that we talk to the youth league and not you.’ You don’t like going to places and getting such statements.”
I caught up with Zulu for breakfast at Johannesburg’s Melrose Arch piazza before she boarded a flight to Cape Town to attend the state visit of Boni Yayi, the president of Benin.
Zulu laughed out loud when I put it to her that making such statements in a politically charged environment ahead of the ANC’s conference in Mangaung next year could be a career-ending move.
“I don’t have a hostile relationship with the youth league,” she said. “It’s an autonomous body, but remains an integral part of the ANC. It’s important for us to speak, but we should do so in defence of the unity of the organisation and whatever we do should not bring the ANC into disrepute.”
However, Zulu warned against some youth league elements which have reportedly threatened to disrupt the ANC’s centenary celebrations next year following the decision to suspend their president, Julius Malema, and his cohorts.
“Nobody is going to stop us celebrating 100 years of ANC history. If anyone is sitting in a corner planning to disrupt the centenary celebrations they’re in for a shock, they’re going to face a huge tide. Our victory [against apartheid] did not come easily,” she said.
Zulu, a former Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) operative based in Angola, was appointed Zuma’s international relations adviser soon after he was inaugurated in 2009. She is one of the president’s most trusted lieutenants.
SA’s foreign policy
A former ambassador, Zulu travels abroad a great deal, but her day-to-day responsibilities include running Zuma’s international programmes and visiting regional and international summits, including those of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, the United Nations, the Group of 20 and the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Her briefing and debriefing sessions with Zuma usually take place on Mondays at Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
Zulu defended South Africa’s foreign policy against criticism that it was inconsistent and misguided.
South Africa controversially voted in favour of the UN Security Council’s resolution 1973 on Libya, authorising the use of force to protect civilians by “all necessary means”. By giving Nato forces wide latitude the resolution was central to the overthrow of Libyan dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
South Africa also recently came under fire for abstaining on a security council vote calling for sanctions against Syria.
Two months ago the South African authorities refused to grant a visa to the Dalai Lama, sparking an international furore and raising questions about the country’s professed commitment to international peace and security and the promotion of human rights.
Zulu said Zuma’s decisions on these matters were informed by the ANC’s stance, including the decisions of regional structures such as the SADC and the African Union.
“He has been consistent [on foreign policy matters]. His consistency is derived from the policies and resolutions of the ANC. His positions are also informed by decisions taken by regional structures such as SADC, the AU and Comesa [the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa]. He consults others before acting. He is driven by the quest for peace, security and political stability on the African continent.”
Zulu said Zuma’s three-member facilitation team in Zimbabwe had made considerable progress in spite of her clashes with Zanu-PF officials who had called for her removal.
The team, including Zuma’s spokesperson Mac Maharaj and Defence Minister Charles Nqakula, has a SADC mandate to facilitate elections in terms of Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement.
Zanu-PF propaganda chief Jonathan Moyo has repeatedly branded Zulu an “enemy” of his party because of her tough stance on President Robert Mugabe and has accused her of being too close to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Zulu dismissed Moyo’s “ranting and raving”, saying he was not one of the negotiators in the Zimbabwean crisis.
“Resolving the issue of Zimbabwe is not a Lindiwe Zulu issue,” she said. “It’s an issue for all the parties to implement what they have agreed on, to finalise the roadmap to elections and stabilise Zimbabwe politically, economically and socially.”
Zulu acknowledged that some believed that South Africa was using its economic muscle to dictate Africa’s foreign policy.
Sharp divisions between African countries and increasing resentment from core Western powers on the UN Security Council over the Zuma government’s foreign policy are shaping the race for chair of the AU Commission between South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the incumbent, Gabon’s Jean Ping, whose term expires in January. Diplomats cite Nigeria as a major obstacle to South Africa’s bid.
Relations between the two countries have been strained and worsened over South Africa’s backing of former president Laurent Gbagbo during the battle for control of Côte d’Ivoire. “We are newcomers as far as Nigeria is concerned, and we’ve quickly occupied space internationally,” said Zulu. “But we believe these contradictions should not destroy relations.
President Zuma’s approach is that we should engage, engage and engage.”
Zulu said the election of Dlamini-Zuma to the AU was a matter of the highest priority for South Africa because of its commitment to the transformation of international institutions such as the UN Security Council and the AU itself.
“We believe the AU has a long way to go. Part of our reason for getting in Dlamini-Zuma is to make it an effective institution,” she said. “She has valuable experience in transforming the Organisation of African Unity into the AU and did a splendid job as a foreign affairs minister. It was difficult for her because we were still new in the international arena. Her experience is much needed in turning around the AU.”
Zulu also said the AU and SADC needed to be transformed into effective institutions. “It’s important for them to be strong so that the world takes them seriously. They should be able to deal with African challenges and quickly take decisions. The slow pace at which decisions are implemented in a fast-moving world is not acceptable,” she said.
Zulu, married to former MK operative Kgositsile Itholeng, holds a master’s degree in journalism from Moscow’s former Patrice Lumumba University, now known as the Moscow Friendly University. They have four children.