A joint committee of senior African National Congress and Inkatha Freedom Party politicians, under Deputy President Jacob Zuma, has been charged with breaking the long-standing impasse between Minister of Home Affairs Mangosuthu Buthelezi and his Director General, Billy Masetlha, writes Bongani Majola.
As well as Zuma and Buthelezi, the committee includes ANC-linked Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Charles Nqakula and two senior IFP men: Minister of Correctional Services Ben Skosana and Deputy Minister of Safety and Security Joe Matthews.
The initiative was launched by President Thabo Mbeki in response to Buthelezi’s demands for action on Masetlha, whom he accuses of more than 60 breaches of discipline.
A former director general of the South African Secret Service, Masetlha was appointed home affairs director general against Buthelezi’s wishes. Buthelezi insists Masetlha’s five-year contract with the public service department lapsed last year and that the director general’s refusal to sign an extension means the department has no legally authorised head.
The ANC sees the problem as a clash of personalities. Masetlha has argued that he answers to Mbeki, who appointed him, rather than Buthelezi, and that as Cabinet authorised a 12-month contract extension, Masetlha’s signature is not needed. However, there are some indications that he is hanging tough for at least a director general’s post if he steps down at home affairs, and the ANC is having trouble accommodating him.
Buthelezi has made numerous appeals to Parliament and Mbeki for a solution. Secrecy surrounds the committee, its time-frame and terms of reference. Masetlha’s office said it was not aware of the committee, referring the Mail & Guardian to Zuma’s office. Zuma’s spokesperson, Lakela Kaunda, confirmed a committee was formed but declined to go into detail, saying it was “a highly sensitive matter”.
Responding to questions, Buthelezi said in a faxed statement that “the issue of the director general of home affairs is in the hands of the president. He has tasked a small committee of ministers to find a solution to it.” However, Buthelezi said, he was “barred by rules of Cabinet [from making] other comments”.
The war of words between Buthelezi and Masetlha has adversely affected the ANC/IFP coalition at national level, senior IFP sources say. One commented: “There have been clashes between ministers and directors general before, but we fail to understand what complicates the matter between Buthelezi and Masetlha. Is it a clash between the IFP and the ANC? Is the IFP being antagonised deliberately? We don’t know.”