The attack on a vehicle owned by senior Inkatha Freedom Party member and KwaZulu-Natal MEC Prince Gideon Zulu, in which his son and driver were critically wounded, appeared not to be political motivated, IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Monday night.
Based on the information provided by the driver, it appeared the motive was robbery, he told Sapa.
Buthelezi expressed concern that reports that the attack was a failed assassination attempt on Prince Gideon, the social welfare MEC, would fuel the flames of violence in the volatile province.
”I’m very concerned that if it is put out as an attempt on Prince Gideon Zulu’s life, it will fuel the flames.”
Buthelezi said he had tried to contact IFP national representative Musa Zondi to brief him on the attack.
Earlier Zondi issued a statement — labelled irresponsible by the African National Congress — claiming the attack was a failed assassination attempt on Prince Gideon and called for ”restraint and calm”.
Prince Gideon was in Durban at the time of the attack about 5km outside Ulundi, Buthelezi said.
Buthelezi, who was in Ulundi, said he had visited the victims in hospital.
One of Prince Gideon’s sons owned a garage in Ulundi, Buthelezi
said.
”From what I hear from the driver said there were suspicious people at the garage and another car had to be sent to do the banking.” Prince Mazwi and his mother, Prince Gideon’s wife Princess Madlamini ”Dolly” Zulu, had left in another car for Empangeni.
Buthelezi said the driver had noticed he was being tailed by a vehicle before the attack, which also resulted in the car overturning.
A bag carried by Prince Mazwi containing cheques was missing from the scene.
”One is not a policeman, but so far, indications are that it was a robbery. A few days ago there was also a robbery in Ulundi,” Buthelezi said.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal police said a motive for the attack had yet to be established.
In a statement, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal said it had learnt with shock about the attacks on members of the Zulu royal family, as well as a separate incident, involving the bodyguard of a Zululand district council mayor.
”The ANC condemns these attacks in the strongest terms.”
ANC safety and security representative Bheki Cele praised Buthelezi for clarifying that the attack was not politically motivated.
”We have been encouraged by the political maturity displayed by Dr Buthelezi in this regard because others could have fallen into a temptation of making all sorts of baseless speculations.”
Meanwhile, police also denied media reports that rising tension between the ANC and IFP in the province over the past few months had resulted in an upsurge in political violence, resulting in at least 50 deaths.
Police representative Vish Naidoo said the SABC weekend news report was incorrect.
”There is no basis for this. They didn’t even identify the violence monitors who claimed this. There is no basis for them to say this.”
Opposition parties including the United Democratic Movement and Freedom Front, said they hoped the attack was not politically motivated and had signalled the resumption of political violence in the province ahead of next year’s general election.
Up to 20 000 people died in 13 years of violence between supporters of the IFP and the ANC in the 1980s and early 1990s. A co-operation pact between the two parties brought peace to the province.
However, recent rows between the IFP and the ANC over the site of the provincial capital, floor-crossing legislation and the axing of two ANC MECs from the IFP-dominated provincial executive, have raised political temperatures in KwaZulu-Natal over the past six months.
In Monday’s incident, gunmen opened fire on the vehicle while it was travelling on the Ulundi 19 road, about 5km outside the town.
”The driver lost control of the vehicle causing it to leave the road up an embankment and then back onto the road,” Naidoo said.
He said Prince Mazwi and the driver, identified as a Mr Mdlalose, were in a critical condition in hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds to their upper bodies and heads. Princess Madlamini was treated for injuries she sustained when the car overturned. – Sapa