IFP militants have been accused of plotting to derail the KwaZulu-Natal peace process in order to secure the province in the upcoming election, writes Wally Mbhele
The African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party are planning an urgent meeting to salvage the peace process in the KwaZulu- Natal which has faltered since the appointment of former minister of arts and culture Lionel Mtshali as the new provincial premier.
The high-level meeting comes in the wake of allegations that IFP hardliners are involved in secret manoeuvres to derail peace deals which, though at an advanced stage, remain fragile. Not only is the peace process at stake, but also the forthcoming elections.
At the root of the IFP hardliners’ agenda lies the fear of losing the province to the ANC at the polls. Recent Markinor surveys have put the ANC marginally ahead of the IFP in KwaZulu-Natal.
The controversial redeployment of Mtshali to replace the more moderate Ben Ngubane as premier has fed speculation that the party is worried it will lose the province – and that Ngubane, the more senior of the two politicians, is being prepared for a position in an expected government of national unity.
Such moves would be in line with attempts to bring the ANC and IFP closer together, and include a widely reported offer of a deputy presidency to IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
But militants in the party are apparently resisting what they perceive to be attempt to co-opt the IFP into an ANC-dominated black nationalism.
It is understood that IFP party officials have begun mobilising for secret military training, apparently with the purpose of unleashing violence and instilling fear among the ANC’s potential voters. This would undermine the peace process and elections.
The Mail & Guardian is aware of camps in northern Natal where white rightwingers and former security force operatives provided military training to IFP loyalists as recently as this year. Substantial caches of weapons are known to have been in the possession of the IFP and some of its leaders remain unaccounted for in the run-up to elections.
Last week expelled former IFP central committee member Sipo Mzimela – now with the United Democratic Movement – was reported as saying the IFP was preparing for war in advance of elections.
But to what extent such rumours of war are to be taken seriously and whether they should be seen as brinkmanship remains unclear. The IFP has often been accused of using violence or the threat of violence to force political concessions in the past.
The return of Mtshali to KwaZulu-Natal is believed to have already alienated opposition parties – in particular the ANC. He is seen as ranking amongst the core IFP hardliners whose style of leadership could backfire.
In his maiden speech as premier, which saw the opposition parties staging a walkout, Mtshali assured the people of KwaZulu-Natal that he was a flexible man. However, he warned: “I must serve notice that I shall have much less flexibility.”
Mtshali is also reported to have raised the spectre of KwaZulu-Natal’s secession from South Africa. This was one of the strategies considered in earlier IFP constitutional proposals, and it still enjoys some support, especially among militants.
The ANC in the province has been angered by Mtshali’s attitude in handling allegations made by reputed IFP warlord David Ntombela against MEC for Health Zweli Mkhize, who is the ANC’s senior provincial leader.
Ntombela has alleged that Mkhize is involved in a plot to assassinate him and the IFP leadership. He also alleged that Mkhize is involved in gun-running in the province. There is speculation that Mtshali is planning to remove Mkhize from his portfolio as well as the ANC’s Bheki Cele, who chairs the portfolio committee on safety and security.
Minister of Safety and Security Sydney Mufamadi appointed an independent judicial commission to investigate all aspects of violence in the province, including the causes of the current tensions that may impact on the holding of free and fair elections.
ANC provincial chair S’bu Ndebele believes that the commission should not only investigate the alleged training of hit squads for the ANC by Excalibur security company, but also allegations that Khulani Security (formerly Springbok) is providing military training to the IFP.
The situation is further complicated by allegations that a National Intelligence Agency report has named several IFP leaders allegedly involved in providing military training in the province. The agency’s senior manager, Dennis Nkosi, said intelligence agents had discovered mobile training units in the province, providing evidence of a third force.
“Mtshali comes as a hardliner bent on consolidating party political power rather that governing the province. I don’t think there’s still massive support of people who are still inclined on hard-core politicking as underlined during the pre-1994 election,” said University of Durban-Westville political scientist Dumisane Hlophe.
“The bulk of political mentality has shifted to matters of development. We may be moving to an electoral choice based on the ability to deliver, rather than the mainstream political rhetoric we saw before the 1994 elections.”
His sentiments are echoed by Ndebele, who said: “Even in the IFP there are too many people who are tired of war. Peace has powerful enemies who are well placed even in the security forces, but it will prevail.”
Ndebele wants Mufamadi’s inquiry to examine all evidence ranging from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s investigations to information placed before courts and the provincial legislature.
This, according to Ndebele, should improve the prospect of free and fair elections. “The question of peace must move as speedily as possible and must be made compulsory, as is the case in Gauteng,” said Ndebele, adding that those who fall out of the peace settlement should meet the full might of the law.
The shaky KwaZulu-Natal peace process is a product of many months of tough negotiations between the ANC and the IFP following the ANC’s rejection of the provincial results of the 1994 elections, which the party believed was irregular.
Following President Nelson Mandela’s intervention, the ANC accepted the results and both parties started looking at ways of achieving peace in the province. “The ANC really thought about where we want to take the province,” said Ndebele.
May 27 1996 was to be a turning point where all parties would reach a formal agreement denouncing violence. This would be followed by a delegation from both parties to brief their principals in Cape Town. “We could not believe it ourselves,” recalls Ndebele.
Support for the initiative was secured from Mandela, Deputy President Thabo Mbeki and Buthelezi before a delegation from both parties met Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini to tell him that “the war is over”.
At the provincial ANC conference in December 1996, a special amnesty for the province was mooted. This was discussed at the presidential level of the two parties, followed by one-to-one meetings between Mbeki and Buthelezi.
The two agreed on co-operation between the IFP and ANC before a team of three senior leaders from each organisation was appointed to work on the modalities of peace before this year’s elections.
Members of this team include ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe, treasurer Mendi Msimang and deputy chair Jacob Zuma. Senior IFP officials who form part of this committee include Mtshali, former IFP Youth Brigade leader Musa Zondi and the Reverend CJ Mthethwa.
That process made significant progress until the IFP’s withdrawal of Ngubane as KwaZulu- Natal premier. However, there are those in the ANC who believe Mtshali’s posturing could be a mere strategy for elections.
“The stakes are too high for any party to back out of the peace initiatives. Peace is going to prevail even though we can be at the brink. There’s no alternative,” insisted Ndebele.
According to Hlophe, KwaZulu-Natal does not need a typical political party animal. “It needs a diplomat like Ngubane.
“Mtshali has already alienated himself from other political parties. He came to the province through stormy waters caused by Ngubane’s departure.
“He should have attempted to calm down before making any major decisions. He should have concentrated on winning the hearts and minds of his political rivals.”
Hlophe lamented the perceived departure and demotion from the IFP of talented intellectuals like former premier Frank Mdlalose, Oscar Dlomo, Ziba Jiyane and Mzimela in favour of the perceived party hardliners.