Marianne Merten
Cape Town Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane will assemble the city’s political leaders in a bid to halt a pattern of political intolerance in black areas that has resulted in a spate of deaths, injuries, intimidation and harassment.
The United Democratic Movement maintains the killing of its councillor Mziwomntu Tutuka two weeks ago was politically motivated and linked to the party’s increasing support in Cape Town. The African National Congress whose councillor Wandile Nkwele survived an attack last month has blamed criminal elements.
Six months ago the murder of ANC councillor Mteto Ntlanganiso in the presence of a bodyguard forced a by-election in the Phillippi shack settlement. In May the UDM’s branch chairperson in Phillipi, Mzamomhle Mashiyane, was shot dead on his way to work. There have been numerous cases of intimidation and assault.
The current spate of violence comes in the run-up to the provincial congresses of both parties, amid claims that each is signing up disaffected members of the other. And it appears the Democratic Alliance has become embroiled in township politics in recent months while trying to make inroads into that voter base.
Ndungane’s intervention is similar to those ahead of the December local government and June 1999 national elections each preceded by killings and intimidation around Nyanga, Phillipi and the informal settlements of KTC and Samora Machel.
“It’s good for the political leadership to come together now and again so that people on the ground understand there’s no antagonism,” Ndungane says, reiterating the need for leaders “not to use language which could inflame things”.
Township politics on the Cape Peninsula have historically been marked by overlapping party loyalties and strong local leaders jockeying for control of resources such as housing, local development projects or emergency relief after floods or fires.
In the months leading up to the 1999 elections an ANC councillor and five UDM senior officials were killed in the Nyanga/KTC area. There were also disruptions of political meetings, intimidation of party officials on both sides and the burning of homes. Similar violence occurred again ahead of the December 2000 municipal elections.
U Managing Conflict director Sean Tate says the violence and intimidation, dating back at least five years, has permeated all levels of society. Crime was a major factor in the instability. Nyanga and surrounding areas have experienced the sharpest increase in violent crime in the Western Cape over the past year.
A UDM document states 11 of the 14 UDM officials killed since 1999 represented areas like Samora Machel, Nyanga, Crossroads and Phillippi, where the party is very active.
“[This] clearly indicates a pattern that UDM leaders are being attacked in areas where the party is growing fast,” the document says. Similarly, the party believes the killing of three senior Stellenbosch members between April and May is linked to its good municipal election results.
The ANC dismissed the UDM claims as “lies and part of a cheap publicity stunt” and urged the party to refrain from inflammatory speeches and called for a proper police investigation.
Provincial secretary general Mcebisi Skwatsha says senior ANC officials will attend Ndungane’s meeting, but also wants to “strongly object to (the ANC) being repeatedly singled out … for killings”.
Meanwhile, the DA, a relative newcomer to township politics, is accused of “resorting to patronage politics” in Langa. In August the ANC revealed a local DA organiser was offering jobs in exchange for signing up. An affidavit also implicated DA organiser Nonzezile Makeleni in collecting money without issuing receipts.
In the Western Cape legislature this week, Education MEC Helen Zille complained about the use of “kangaroo courts” to harass DA members.
Apart from the allegations of witchcraft against Makeleni, a “charge” of belonging to the DA was also made against him. Approached for comment, Zille declined to elaborate.