First Session of the Fifth KwaZulu Legislative Assembly. Policy Speech

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FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTH

KWAZULU

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

SO

NQ

OB

YE

A SIMUN

POLICY

SPEECH

BY DR.

MANGOSUTHU G BUTHELEZI

J 705

CHIEF MINISTER OF KWAZULU

T3

K843 MARCH 1989

-F

1989

D

ESOVER IO RH A R

OR

ST

F AN

B

LI

UTION

INSTIT

?

FIRST

SESSION OF

THE

FIFTH

KWAZULU

POLICY BY THE

Speaker ,

Sir ,

ASSEMBLY

SPEECH

CHIEF MINISTER

MARCH

Mr.

LEGISLATIVE

1989

I

Honourable Members ,

rise

deliver

to

1989

my

Policy Speech with a deep sense of urgency working in me to define meaningful a make analyses which enable us to make and problems Africa's South solution of the towards contribution political problems .

That

for

is

Assembly .

It the

function

prime

me the

not is kind of political

exercising not an Assembly in which we

the

of

Legislative

a

rights

KwaZulu

which we

Legislative

which

Assembly in

aspire

we

to .

are It

job the best

is we

get on with doing the state of political oppression . Legislative The KwaZulu and apartheid a forefront base from which we attack is which we attack racism and the racist denial of black social ,

can in a Assembly from

economic

and political

rights .

There are no problems in problems and there are

South Africa which are also not no problems in KwaZulu which are

KwaZulu's also not

South Africa's problems . It is a total myth which apartheid tried to establish whereby different races in this country had different political objectives and different political responsibilities . Indeed , more the legitimacy of our concern for matters which are directly KwaZulu matters depends entirely on the contribution we Africa . make towards the emergence of democracy in a greater South

I am quite confident that Ciskei may agree with

even Transkei , Bophuthatswana , Venda and me in this sentiment I am expressing . when political platforms right now I know that

Whatever is said on the South African cookie crumbles , leaders might be there with the rest in the

I

restructuring

am also

pursuing

quite

South

confident

revolutionary

participating now doing

of

in the

likely that the TBVC parties participating

Africa .

that

aims

it is of the

even those

and

restructuring

is preparing the way

now outside

objectives will be of

South

for their

Africa .

eventual

South Africa us among

there

What we

return .

are

2

In and in

this Policy Speech I deliver this year I make this my emphasis each I want to look at a wide range of issues in terms of how assisting turn should be conceived as impeding or Our drive

towards

solving

South

Africa's

political

problems .

Mr.

Honourab Members , Speaker , I make the point that the South le African Governme itself has had to move to recogni in se that we nt this House are struggle legitima involved in the Black f o r tely liberati and lay legitim c t r a p i n l o i l n ational aim ghtful ace ate on politics . It would today be unthink able for a Minister of Justice to call me to his office , and rap me over the knuckle , or to try s and prevent me from going to Soweto , as Jimmy Kruger , as Minister of Justice , tried to do for recruit ing blacks of all ethnic groups into Inkatha at my house

instead as Mr.

of confinin g Kruger did ,

Or to phone me to Zulus only . order to threaten me when the Mzimhlop violence erputed . You will recall that he said that if he went I to Mzimhlo he would take action phe despite his warnings , Even then I defied these warning . against me . saying W a I h m a t s is that they dare not make such threats as were made by Mr. Kruger in 1976. It would be unthink able for the South African Government to rap me over the knuckle f in the KwaZulu Natal o r participa s ting Indaba negotia b t w n a e h ere egotiati round interests cause ey tions ons beyond the actual geograp b o t s and o f h c u e attered bits ndaries hic pieces which make up KwaZulu . it in

I am not particularly worried about National Party terminology longer . There was a time in which the National Party was different using words to disguise their intention to do the

any just same

thing .

they

They are

now not

doing

so .

They

are

floundering where

stand and they know that they have to abandon the central tenets of past political frameworks . What they are now involved in is more than

changing

terminology .

We know it

and

they

know

it .

defining approach the task of from the ng problems and suggesti attacks on these problems comes recognition that South Africa has entered a dangerous phase of transition . You can just forget everything that National Party The

sense

spokesmen do . The

of urgency with which I

say when you make assessments of what it can and cannot National Party is being driven history . by Economic

imperatives have knows that reach .

taken

apartheid

as

it by the Dr.

neck and

shaken

Verwoerd dreamed

it .

of it

Perhaps the National Party does not yet know how new realities which are now unavoidable for

The is

Party now

quite

out

of

to deal with these it . Perhaps the

National Party will even continue blundering in attempting to buy time as it tries to re - examine its position . Whatever it does in harmony with the forces of history or in opposition to the forces of history , apartheid is doomed and the National Party knows that this

is

the

case .

3

I

say

are

entering

a

dangerous

phase

in the

politics

of

transition because nothing can stop the onward march of events and the final eradication of apartheid but there is ample room to make is very costly blunders even if the victory over apartheid now inevitable .

I

want

to

look at

my

main

emphasis

on

our

role

in

the

national

liberation struggle which I am adopting in this Policy Speech as an emphasis which demands that we re - examine our own basic position and look at what political power really is . One of the important messages that I bring to members of the Assembly is that a great black many leaders and a great many black political groupings in this

country ,

and black

leaders flat - footed because they

caught power .

South Africa is and there is country

and and

black groupings

misconceive

the

abroad ,

nature

of

vast

majority of black

leaders

will be

political

entering the first phase of transitionary a far greater degree of political fluidity

than the

We are power and

and

recognise

politics in the there

to

attacked politically by those who misconceive political times because these attacks come with media acclaim at

at other times come with the pronouncements of men of the cloth yet at other times come with applause from sectors of African

political opinion intimidated .

and opinion in other

parts

of the

globe ,

we

are

have must been Some of Inkatha's members pause right here . We intimidated . There are erstwhile colleagues of ours who walk their Own are it

roads because they are too frightened to walk with us . Inkatha members who have become political chameleons and change not blasphemous could be likened unto people who

minds

for

the

Intimidation

proverbial

works

30 pieces

most

when

of

There were their

silver .

there

is

uncertainty

about

the

rightness of what one is doing . When one loses the conviction win or , worse still , one perceives others doing right will

that the

right

that will win ,

one tends

to

make an analysis of what political any detail with current events and

For

me ,

these

is

political that it

abandon

the

struggle .

power really is before the actors in them .

power has a number leads to political

I

want

to

I

deal

in

of hallmarks and the first of survival . If one does not

today exercise the kind of power which will be exercised then what is one's political power really worth? There

can

be

no

political power quite as worthless as the power the Conservative Party is now striving to acquire . And this is where there is some Party ruling is because the National hope Africa South for

beginning

to

perceive

that

this

is true .

4

pertinently ,

as

Just

to

attempting

the

acquire

power that

is

just

have

revolutionaries as

as worthless

been the

power

the

Conservative Party is attempting to acquire because it will be just whatsoever anybody of no prospect is There as transient . succeeding of the dragging South Africa back to the politics in be will so do to crushed attempted Whoever . apartheid of day hey by the

of mass

vastness

opposition

to

apartheid .

country . reality

revolutionary also no prospects whatsoever, of power this in setting up any kind of permanent power base in right Extreme and extreme left politics face the same history ; they march that march against they against

economic

reality ;

are There succeeding

vast

majority

forces

Mr.

could

Speaker ,

course clear boil

that

march against Africans

upset

apple

and

carts

the

expectations

they will

only be

others would

of the

vast as

supported

profit

from .

Members , we in this House charter our own ble Inkatha charter our own course and unless we are we correctness of what I have been saying , will

Honoura

and we in about the

away

they

of South

in the

South

African

melting

pot

with the

rest

of them .

The reasons why the Conservative Party could never succeed in South ruling National Africa actually constitute the dilemmas of the Party . The National Party is a Party which tried to walk the Conservative Party road . Whatever it did was opposed by the masses did and stifle in South Africa everything it to opposition diminishing increased opposition until in the end there were returns on placing more and more Draconian Acts on the Statute Books

as levels of opposition

upwards . 1960's led of the national

heightened

and as

violence

escalated

The road the National Party walked in the 1950's and the to the crisis in the 1970's and the political realities

1980's that the National state of emergency .

Party

could not

rule

outside

a

Party It Conservative is politically laughable to think that the could succeed in taking South Africa back to the 1960's and the 1970's when Black opposition was not nearly as militant as it is today and the underlying black rejection of apartheid was still formulating

One

itself in

has only to

opposition .

think back about

Inkatha over the 14 years of its South African Government did in the 1960's led of Inkatha in the 1970's and like every force fullness of its power . Inkatha's power has - even the power grown , of our just as all black power has grown political enemies . It is laughable to think that the Conservative Party could succeed against the sophistication of black politics in the 1980's . existence . What the to the establishment is born in the

5

Then

of

course

Conservative government ,

the bottom

line of any statement about why the not succeed in establishing lasting a movement into the seat of power would

Party could is that its

amount to the destruction to remain to committed

of the existing the politics

employment

tactics

Mr.

of non - violent

Sir ,

Speaker ,

Honourable

and

black will in the country and of negotiation the

strategies .

Members white

are

politicians who

seeking to establish a Conservative Party power base are pursuing politics that will not last . We leave the detail of the debate about the truth of this statement to members of the Conservative and the National Party . Party From our political perspectives we only have

to

make

the

assertions

to

see the

truth .

a little more difficult to see the truth of the fact establishing only also in succeed can revolutionaries . bases power transient There are so many arguments which are difficult emotionally laden as they are false that it is sometimes It

is

perhaps

that

to

truth of simple perceptions about black politics . of of apartheid has the somewhat unfortunate by - product to opposition of credibility to any statement in ring

establish the

Our hatred a giving apartheid .

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

every now and

again when

addressing

a mass rally of tens upon tens of thousands Africans , I become aware of how carefully I must

South pick

my

slipped

words . into

using

I

know that

language

and

time

and

time

again

gestures which would

I

I

am

of Black sometimes could

have

have

resulted and there

in the vast masses before me being willing to follow me then in a rampage of vast destruction . Others dream of being in a position I have So often been in . They dream of in being a which would position of being able to take a vast mob of 80 000+ gather as strength it went on a from , destructive say , march Kingsmead to the centre of Durban . If I did so it would be to establish positions that could not be held and to spend political forces which would no

longer be available

It is , Mr. Speaker , because attacked by members of the 1970's I already knew that

for the struggle .

I do not do precisely this that I am so By the early ANC executive in exile . unless there was a partnership between

internal black political forces working for non - violent democratic change and our brothers and sisters in exile , it would cost South Africa dearly . I wanted that partnership to keep my brothers and sisters had no politically relevant .. They on the other hand concerns whatsoever to keep me politically relevant . They wanted to their me be the upfront, fall guy as they pursued objectives these force in conceived the aloneness of being in exile and to objectives

on the

masses who

could

think

for themselves .

60

The

clash between

Inkatha

no roots in South African that comes from dreams

and the

ANC

is

a

tragic

clash which

political realities . It is cannot be realised and the

a

has

clash that pursuit of

politics which will be as destructive as it is transient . But slogans because revolutionaries chant their chants and shout their to denounce apartheid , their posturing as the sole liberators o.f South Africa is not seen for what it is .

Unless

revolutionaries

turn

to

assist

doing what

needs

to be

done

to raise democratic opposition to apartheid they will become locked nor into an upward spiralling of violence in which neither they their adversaries will emerge as winners . I refuse to walk the road of violence because it is a losing road . Along it one will the not find victories of the kind that our heroes and martyrs in Black

South African

struggle

for

It is revolutionary propaganda will struggle that liberate balderdash

to

patriotism . It are so - called balderdash ANC and

equate

liberation

dreamed

balderdash that South Africa .

commitment

to

the

it

of .

is It

armed

only the armed is political struggle

to

is political balderdash to try and distinguish what leaders It is real from the rest . political

that

there

everybody

else

is a

progressive

anywhere

else

Black politics is not divided into who work to maintain the status quo

is

democratic the

enemy

front

led by the

of the

struggle .

liberation forces and the There or profit from it .

rest

is a vastness about black politics in which the major forces of history are at work . It is these forces which will bring about a new South Africa and it will be a new South Africa that arises as we Blacks salvage the best that there is and jettison the worst that there is .

In

this

vastness

of

Black

South

be continuity . In the onward march thrown up as one black response to

African

politics ,

there will

of history revolutionaries were importantly apartheid but more

history threw up other black responses .

Mr. Speaker , Sir , Honourable Members , we in this House will not run away from the struggle which our forefathers mounted and which our long line of heroes and martyrs we will not abandon objectives may be more we expect

easily others

reached to pay

pursued . When the going gets and seek objectives which we

tough think

or worse become callous about the price to for the victories we are attempting

achieve .

There is something very deep - rooted about the central values in the Black struggle for liberation in this country . They can be traced to the great personalities among the founding fathers of the old ANC which was dream of a

formed in 1912. They were the true South Africans to democracy and to mount tactics and multi - racial

strategies which would democracy multi - racial government

a

reality .

of multi - party, make the achievement a resting on a one - man - one - vote system of

7

Revolutionaries now whimper as they ring their hands when they talk They about democratic opposition to apartheid . say democratic to apartheid has failed . Mr. Speaker , Honourable opposition Members , fail . Blacks

democracy cannot fail . Only those who abandon democracy some I have again and again said that I can understand why grown have disillusioned and have lost heart . can I

understand endurance

how that

The

going Honourable because it

must

is

that

apartheid

abandon

has been

all

I

pushes

people

of great

beyond

human

value .

I

for a very long time but Speaker , Mr. am not going to get out kitchen the of know that the only way we can achieve a

democracy in this Other countries do

so

the things

tough

Members , is hot .

multi - racial negotiation .

but we

it they

what we

must

country is through the in Africa must do what

politics they must do

do .

no lasting any of prospect is democracy . multi - party is a it multi - racial , illiterate . A who believes anything else is politically Anybody for an prescription in this country would be a State one - party this us For in democracy unless

ongoing

Nowhere it

was

series

of

country there

revolutions

across the whole as imperative as

and

counter - revolutions .

of Africa was there any country in which it now is in South Africa to accommodate

the political aspirations which is reconciliatory . water is boiling in front

of every race group in a political system Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , when of you , you know that putting your hand in it will burn without having a physicist understanding of the behaviour of molecules and atoms . We do not have to be erudite South of to know that our white society theoreticians political g inin red sed reta of ned and assu trai , technocrats militari African stry indu ing and bank commerce , numerous key positions in mining ,

will be far better equipped to destroy any black through a campaign of sophisticated subversion not government yet seen anywhere in the Third World .

whatever happens ,

I do not

spend

my

time

playing

around with words

and

ideas .

I

have

no time for the kind of glib nonsense which is there in so much of the revolutionaaries ' journals and books . I simply call a spade a spade , and Mr. Speaker , I tell every Member of this House that unless we can actually succeed in the struggle that our forefathers set out to win , we will be abandoning their memories and we will be abandoning their dreams , and we will be doing so at the expense of many generations to follow . The only victory in South Africa which will be worth having is a victory brought about by the politics of negotiation .

8

confident in what I am saying when I I am totally say that in ultimate terms , black revolutionaries can only have the kind of folorn have that the Conservative Party can hopes of governing South Africa . When I think about revolutionaries , I am even more Conservatives . sober than when I think about the far right Conservative victories could hasten the day of change because as I stress , the sophistication of black politics today would unite country Blacks across the length and breadth of the to take government

out

of the

on Revolutionaries The minute Black .

hands

the other hand thrive in dividing Black one starts killing for political purposes

necessarily become

must

of Conservatives .

indiscriminate

about whom one

kills .

from one The

ugly face of thrusting revolution down the throats of Blacks who do not want revolution because they do not believe in it , is there for can Exile everybody to see in South Africa . The ANC Mission in

thrive in establishing its people's war if Black it sets against Black . We have seen the hideousness of this in our black townships . We have seen the hideousness of this Black in mutilating Black , Black necklacing Black and we the have seen

only

powerful

trample

all

something

There

is

worse

when

one

over the weak and

very

ugly

realises

about

the

the

all

extent

destitute .

this and to

even

becomes

it

revolutionaries

which

It is the innocent they devour actually also play on the innocent . as cannon fodder and it is the utter callousness of spending the lives of children that appals me the most . Revolutionaries , Mr. Honourable Members , Speaker , are doing all this because the time for revolution has not arrived in South Africa . The people of South Africa do not want revolution . The people of South Africa say no to revolution and have to be battered into submission and the politics

The

more

I

of intimidation

see

of

has

revolutionary

to be

tactics

used

and

against

them .

strategies ,

the

more

I

realise how easy it is to corrupt any concept of there ever being a just war . I am not a pacifist in the naive sense of the word . I other only say that violence is hideously wrong when there is any alternative to circumstances

it . South Africa has not been pushed in which the only thing left to do is

into the final to resort to

killing .

Honourable Members , the South African Mr. Speaker , at weaker than it is now if one looks never been We . in its ability to maintain apartheid strength apartheid is totally impossible to maintain . Black South Africa eradicated . be will it

Government weakness all

It must be is on the

know

has and that

destroyed ; and march

We are taking what is legitimately ours and nothing will stop it . stop is nothing that the South African Government can do to there There is now , less reason than there us . historically speaking , country's ever been before to resort to violence to solve the has problems .

9

I

make

the point

yet

again

that

however weak

the

African

South

Government is politically when it comes to enforcing apartheid , it more powerful than it has ever been before militarily speaking . Speaker , Mr. Honourable Members , when after nearly a quarter of a century of revolution all one has done is to make one's enemy stronger and stronger each year , then for goodness pause and ask oneself some honest questions .

sake ,

one

should

I have in the make

recent months grown increasingly intolerant of Blacks who struggle for liberation their way of life . They have under hopes of victory and resigned themselves to live abandoned Mr. apartheid but adopt the pretensions of opposing it . Speaker , Honourable Members , if we could go on a tour of revolutionary camps and were given the freedom to sit down and talk to our brothers and sisters trapped in to South Africa confirmation

There

are

that world of make - believe that victories , as soldiers to win

of what

hundreds

I

they will return would one hear

am saying .

of Black South Africans who naively

fled

across

country's borders to seek military training believing that the armed struggle needs them . Those hundreds are now sitting and waiting for action they will never see . Nothing saddens me more exile dying than the thought of my brothers and sisters in out their there in the outside world alone and far from the land of in me birth . Everything cries out to reach out and make it possible

I

have

talking

for them to

to

speak out

about

return .

rather

forthrightly

revolutionaries

because

at

there

it

comes

to

much at

stake

and

times when is

so

I talk about their wrong decision ; I talk they threaten so much . their strategies and Mr. Speaker , but wrong tactics about Honourable Members , I cannot disown them . They are my brothers and in the struggle . I exercise my I want to embrace them . sisters how it God -given to say what I think ought to be done and right does to not regard ought that done mean be but that I revolutionaries

as

scum who

should be

eradicated .

It I remain reconciliatory in my approach to the ANC and the PAC . If is , after all , the only thing to do the natural thing to do I believe , as I really do believe , that the victory Black South Africans always dreamed about will be ours through the politics of negotiation . It is only because some think that the politics of negotiation cannot work that they turn to other means of bringing succeed more than the success in about change . Nothing will negotiations which will be ours sooner or later . When we really do radical changes begin to bring about the kind of through the revolutionaries which say can of negotiation never be politics of achieved unless one kills for political purposes , one will see how favour eager people will become to abandon violence in of democracy .

10

I a

am totally convinced that if Whites adopted the democracy multi - party real could have a we

will to establish democracy in a

relatively short space of time . Why , I ask , is the South African The Government bold in Namibia and so timid here in South Africa . the elections which are proposed for Namibia do not arise out of military defeat of South Africa . The MPLA/ UNITA conflict could gone have on for a long African army could have with SWAPO . Neither the victory .

time and for that long time , the South dealing acted with continued impunity in military MPLA nor SWAPO could have won a

The South African Government's stepping down from its positions control in Namibia are political decisions and they are the kind political decisions which the South African Government could ma country . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , it is in this treacherous to the struggle for any Black to continue making the struggle

It

is

a way

SO

of life

as

terribly ,

though it

terribly

is going

tragic

to go

that

on

the

forever .

African

South

of

negotiating the foothills the around postures Government I will be that believe I . climbed be mountains that still have to South the know when to very Africa South in first person the real towards move makes its first actually Government African negotiations .

Mr. Speaker , I say this , have Afrikaners speaking the speaking , black grouping say

Government has to talk to the leader in this country , as well as to other

this because

negotiate at that . knows

Honourable Members , because and to speak to the Zulus

I

have

paid

terrible

any point in time and the Finally , Speaker , Mr.

prices

in

historically politically

of the Blacks .

standing

largest I also

ready

to

South African Government now have I say this because we

the kind of political power in this House and in Inkatha harnessed The which makes real negotiations with us the best starting point . more but of the Covenant concerns all Blacks and Afrikaners , day specifically in historic terms , it was the Zulus and the Afrikaners so -called Afrikaner's the Blood after River , in clashed who a have I believe that Afrikaners and Zulus God . with Covenant bedevilled has which between them , 1838 in created problem South relations between Afrikaners and Zulus and the rest of black Africa .

The has has

South African Government has avoided negotiating with us and it another . It tried to mount one negotiating initiative after floundered each time because they were not real negotiations faces . Blacks about the fundamental issues that our country with At this point , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I must inform this House about the meeting I attended in Cape Town on Thursday , the 2nd March .

11

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

you will

remember

that

in

my

last

strong Policy very Speech to this House I reported on my year's reaction to a press statement Mr. Chris Heunis had issued in which KwaZulu / Natal he the of majoritarian principle rejected the constitutional proposals . I saw this rejection the of Indaba's exercise

Indaba up . we

political

Mr.

as

throwing

down

a

gauntlet

which had to be

picked

We are in opposition politics ; we are fighting apartheid and our have to deal with members of the South African Cabinet as opposition .

as Minister

Heunis

occupies a very was reported as

of Constitutional

Development

and

Planning

critical post in the Cabinet . When therefore he saying that " he was involved in discussions with

KwaZulu Chief Minister Mangosuthu G. Buthelezi on the question of reform " I could not let him get away with it . This statement was just too much because it followed on the attack made on me by the State President .

You will remember , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that I reported that to this House during the special Session in October last year the State President had attacked me bitterly in Benoni for some of the things I said in a speech I addressed to ASSOCOM . I found it totally anomalous that the State President was attacking me for not becoming involved in the politics of negotiation and the Minister of Constitutional Development and Planning was negotiating with me . I therefore wrote to Mr. the 9th November 1988 :

The

Hon .

C.J.

Heunis

9th November

Minister of Constitutional and Planning Republic of Private Bag

claiming that he was Heunis as follows on

1988

Development

Africa

South 9029

Cape Town 8000

Dear Mr.

Minister ,

made

for impossible consult with my about thinking bitter attack

it to me to reply immediately and in any event I had While I was still colleagues before I could reply . a in out came letter the State President your in meeting public against me in his address at a

Benoni .

therefore

You

wrote

to

I

me

had

on

the

14th October

to

further

but

pressure

pause before

of work

responding

to you

in order to gather my thoughts and to ensure that I did not respond the haste without thinking through the many implications which in State

The

President's

press ,

carried

the

' Rapport '

attack on me

must

necessarily

have .

and particularly the Afrikaans language newspapers , State President's attack against me and newspapers like justified the State President's attack against me on the

12

basis that I attacked him . In justifying what the State President said , view State the was publicised that my attack against the President in my address to ASSOCOM was perplexing in view of more the indications recent that I had become more amenable towards South

African

Government

and was beginning

to

think about

closer

co-operation . Both

the

State

President

and

I

are

men

public

in

and

life

must

therefore be subjected to public scrutiny and we must be prepared to be criticised in public . The State President has of course the same democratic right to comment on me publicly as I have the right to comment on him . tc It is not that the State President saw fit be critical of me that is the issue . The issue is that the way was

critical

of me

has

done

damage .

When I needed

addressed ASSOCOM I was concerned about the fact that refor to State be put back on track . I rightly said that the President is faltering and I was quite correct in saying that it Africa was tragic that he was addressing foreign Heads of State in Europe

and

without being

able

report

to

them on

to

had been achieved in his negotiations with black country . I lamented the fact that he could in

leaders in fact have

little of real substance to this sense he was wasting a

State

are These international

express

my

they

issues ;

political issues ;

the democratic

tell foreign Heads of golden opportunity . on

touch

they are issues which I right to comment on . I do

own thoughts

about

the

State

that this

progress

and

very

that

and

national

as a have

in

black leader the right to

President .

Whatever

I

said , however , I said with dignity and most certainly said without rancour and without making an attempt to personally humiliate the State

President . his policies ; implement his

attacked the State President for I State President for his failure to

attacked apartheid and I quite rightly maintained not even got off the ground had negotiation of President

reacts

by

he

" Often

saying :

[ referring

I own

the attacked I policies ;

that the politics The State yet . to

me ]

has

chosen

he to attack me personally in public . " And adds magnanimously that and then there follows " up to now been very patient with him " has " He is often being misled and misused by people who the statement ; do not have South Africa's best interests at heart . " Minister , Mr. this is with the passing of prominence wrote

there

an old time .

were those who

my speeches .

They

others

can

mislead

and

if I

am no

more

than

just

a

it becomes more first rose to

that

credit

think . I man so man and and so misuse me .

in National Party highest circles . described when these talks often as

said

could not

capacity to think as I could be told that I am so weak a so weak a that

theme and When I

it was a

Alan

black man

sickening political Paton who having

the

find it deeply insulting to inconsequential as a leader This is a favourite theme

Even some take place ,

simpleton .

are of my Ministers as the real brains ,

13

In

his

Benoni

attack on

me ,

the

State

President

then went

on

to

say

that that

the timing of my criticism of him was not coincidence and says his trips outside South Africa were to the dislike of " many our Mr. wished who to see conflict and chaos in country . ' says He Minister , the State President owes me a personal apology . that I attacked him in alliance with those who want and chaos in our country .

to

see

conflict

blames State President me for not being involved in The negotiations when he knows full well that it is because we do not an have agenda both can agree to that neither of us can talk to each other about the constitutional future of South Africa . You know , Mr. Minister , that I have on numerous occasions gone out of in my way to involve the State President discussions on Our constitutional future . I asked him to issue even before the President's Council was set Tricameral constitution .

I

have

sought

this

Statement

of

Intent

a Statement of Intent up to spearhead the

repeatedly

since . I have agenda which enables 4 the State President to talk to black leaders . I have asked the State President to abandon the Special Cabinet Committee's attempt to bolster up the Tricameral parliamentary system and to establish

asked

that

a

negotiating

real

I have cannot

the

National

Council

be

given

an

forum .

Mr. Minister , repeatedly stated , that the State President rediscover the wheels of democracy . The civilised world

knows what

a

parliamentary democracy

is .

We

must

produce

one

here

or be damned by the world and be destroyed from within . That is what we should be doing . That is what the State President cannot do because he cannot regard South Africa as one country requiring electorate , sovereign Parliament resting on one among whom one universal adult franchise and the constitution .

principles

ensure

equality

before

the

law

Minister , You know, Mr. as well as I know that these are things that I I have said to the State President . They are things that to you . have said You know that I am saying them in an ongoing way . I therefore find it very distressing that you , Mr. Minister , said at a press conference that you were involved discussions in with myself on the question of reform . Of course we discuss reform in the tone of my letter to you of the 8th June 1987 and in the tone of my reiterating some of the sentiments I expressed in that letter today . That , world me .

however , is not the impression you , Mr. Minister , give the when you say you are discussing the question of reform with You mentioned discussions with me in the context of saying

that the Government is unfairly criticised for not talking to black leaders . Now that the municipal elections have passed , you are again saying that the South African Government is going ahead with reform . You are reiterating that the involvement of Blacks in the President's Council ; the the establishment of represent

the

outcome

involvement of Blacks at Cabinet the National Council provide

of negotiation .

level hope

and and

14

Not

only this ,

bring about structures that

must

Mr.

Minister ,

but you

talk about

a constitutional future acceptable to that apartheid has put into being are

be accepted .

These

include

the

were not consulted about and include the with which the vast majority of Blacks

initiatives

all as fixed

provincial

to

though the structures

structures we

Regional Services do not support .

Councils say these things , Mr. Minister , knowing that I will have nothing to do with Regional Services Councils and that unless the National Council is given an agenda which includes the scrapping of the present constitution and the scrapping of the Group Areas Act and the Population Registration Act , I see no hope for it and will not become involved in it . I

have

you I,

no

objection

and have however ,

to

you

telling

the

opposed what you and the State have every right to reject you

that I am prepared to negotiate within in fact have nothing to do .

In

your letter of the

that

want ball you

I

must

that

I

have

met

with

President call reform . implying to the world

structures with which I will

14th October

find your proposal that the South African members further constitutional matters I

acceptable . "

world

advise

to me you say : " I also confirm representatives of your Cabinet and Cabinet form a committee to discuss and developments on a regular basis

caution

here ,

Mr.

Minister .

I

do

not

to become involved in some kind of constitutional fancy - dress in which the identity of actors is disguised . The suggestion Cabinet my spontaneously when I and one of arose to refer

Development colleagues Constitutional met the Deputy Minister of and Planning , Mr. R. Meyer , and the Deputy Minister of Police , Mr. Leon Wessels ,

in

Durban

on the

5th October this year .

with frustration deep our we expressed meeting At that inability of the South African Government to get negotiations

the off

the the ground and with the lack of dialogue between ourselves and level Should we in any way and at any African Government . South talking the about difficulties of talking the about continue categoric the Africa , need I future South of constitutional be assurance from you that talking about the difficulties will not presented

as

talking

as

though the

difficulties

have

been

overcome .

I invite you , Mr. Minister , to issue a joint statement with me that South we have not yet even begun to negotiate about the future of det to com erm lev Cab a mit el ine inet tee Africa and have established I am now asked what can be done to rectify this state of affairs . your press in mentioned the meeting you whether press the by now I whe and pos my the ition r had with me changed you statement int to abl and rod wil e Government is uce the ling that believed given have whether I now asked also am I reform . you any joint a issue make for you to I undertaking . invitation The statement with me The

State

is therefore

President

has

said

important . that

he

has

tried

in

vain

to

draw

me

into negotiations . I have said that the South African Government not yet , you, has even begun negotiating with Blacks then Mr. Minister , This is just not said that you are negotiating with me .

15

good enough . We now wants to

leave the world in a state of confusion . The world we know what the position really is and I believe

should

world what

tell

the

the

position

is .

You must by now be convinced that I am prepared to negotiate a new reject political dispensation for South Africa . You know that I as violence a form of political prescription which can only be reject You destructive . know that I all forms of political including the political prescription to be for so long . You know that I

prescription , attempted has

only in negotiating a race African groups

that apartheid interested am

South African solution under which all are governed the way they are willing

South to be

governed . You know that I have given no indication whatsoever that moved I have away from my insistance that only a majoritarian constitutional model holds out any hope for us . You are well aware while on that the South African Government wants me to negotiate that there is no majority in this country , the basis it is the South African One

can

Government

say many

glib

that

excludes

things

in

me .

political

propaganda

and

I

have

heard the State President involving himself in political propaganda when he says that Blacks support him . He actually gives the world to understand that the majority of Blacks support him . You and I know that is just not true and that apartheid society is rejected by Blacks . You know that in a million years you could never White South Africans to accept being given the rights which I my people

are

Mr. Minister , reform that

expected

really , you and

to

accept

in

get and

KwaZulu .

it is time now for you to admit that if the State President have mentioned are

every fully

implemented , White South Africans would still effectively control 87 per cent of the land and that Whites in the Tricameral Parliament would effectively be totally dominant in the control of civil force , the police force , the defence the service , the electricity supply commission , the country's transportation system , foreign fiscal policy and in fact everything that goes to policy , make domestic policy .

There

are bottom

driven

to

the

lines which we now have

to look at . We are in which bottom line statements

circumstances

now are

critically important . Bottom lines must be spelt out and not left to be perceived by implication . Your bottom line , Mr. Minister , is that Whites must continue in the 87 per cent of the land which is so - called Act so .

white

and the

South Africa

Group Areas

Act

and that need to

be

the

Population

maintained

Registration is this

because

Your bottom line , Mr. Minister , is that the Conservative Party really nothing to fear because the National Party envisages that Whites will remain in control of the factors I enumerate above has

which I

make

up

obviously

control

of domestic

policy .

have to

continue

consultation with

in

my

colleagues .

Willingness on your part , Mr. Minister , to issue a joint statement I suggest we issue would be helpful . It would also be helpful if an apology was forthcoming from the State President for intimating that I played a willing part in endeavours to give advantages those who want to escalate conflict and establish chaos in this

16

He

country .

either meant

exactly this

inconsequential that I could be I feel I need an apology .

or

he

meant

used by others

State President to parade my the For whole world was so unforgiveable that For South Africa by what he said . of

that

for this .

I was

So

Either way

the before family problems whole I feel shamed for the have the State President to

intimated that I globe - trot and leave flood chaos behind me because than more doing is defence structures , no civil has KwaZulu It is pointing to dereliction of pointing to a lack of facilities . duty .

Africa's South It so tragic that at this critical time in seems Black history in which there is still sufficient goodwill between that we cannot go to negotiate a decent future for all ,, and White we It would be so simple to say that about it in all simplicity . are to

on going to negotiate a democratic future for all and then go It would so in defiance of the far right and the far left .

do

Mr. Minister , because real progress be simple , democracy will be destructive of anything real and the

far

right

hope

to

achieve .

Our

failure

in reform towards a left far that the is

their

gain .

Minister , to issue the statement I ask for and I Mr. I urge you , you the ask to accept that what I have said in this letter about have State President's utterances about me are not said because I umbrage . What personal taken was said the President State It undermines what I could have done amongst politically damaging . people . adds to hardening of attitudes and was my It most it certainly a personal this not I making am confrontational . President ,

confrontation with the

State

clear the

proceed

Yours

air and

then

but

I

feel

that

we

need to

from there .

sincerely , G.

BUTHELEZI

Chief Minister

of KwaZulu of Inkatha

MANGOSUTHU

and President

November Minister Heunis ' response was immediate and on the 10th immediately wrote back promising to write in full later but and also accepting the need for Cabinet committee discussions welcoming my invitation to him to issue a joint statement with me regarding

the whole

issue

of negotiations .

You will all know , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that I always set a very high premium on the need for Black and White political leaders in this country to strive together for objectives which they state publicly that they all seek to realise . Right beginning of Mr. P.W. Botha's term of office before the was constitution unilateral action joint

statement

even introduced , I on the part of the

between

called for Government

him and black leaders .

at the present on a moratorium and called for a

17

It

now

is

known

well

very obvious

became

he

that

he

that

history did

so

rejected

this

call

he

had

time when

at

it

and

already

decided to go ahead with introducing a new constitution about which Mr. Heunis ' letter conveying his he had not yet even informed us . willingness to issue a statement with me on the question of reform was as surprising as it was new .

After

Heunis

exchanges Mr.

further

and

I

finally

met

to

. Durban

in

on a meeting in January where we would exchange views with a agree January We met on the 9th to drawing up a press statement . view following the issue to possible it found discussion after and statement :

" Chief today , the

Minister 9

Buthelezi

January

following

1989.

joint

and Minister

Heunis

After discussions

met

in

they agreed

Durban to

issue

statement :

urgent an of the fact that negotiations are In recognition Afr ica Sou of pro th necessity solving the political blems in are tha the ack fac the t of re nowledgement t the in and agr hav we eed neg e of otiations impeding the process obstacles two our by be appointed will committee joint a that Governments to

formulate

identify and address these obstacles as well principles on which there is common ground .

to

The

committee will

and

upon the receipt held between us . #1

be

report back to of

such a

the

report

respective a

as

Governments

further meeting

will

has Wisely I believe we have only publicly stated that a Committee not been formed to examine the whole question of why we are yet Committee involved in meaningful negotiations . The work of this hand , Speaker , could of course peter out but on the other Mr. into Honourable Members , it could yet turn a Committee of historical

The

importance .

Committee

is

composed

of nominations

Hon . Dr O.D. Dhlomo Minister Secretary - General of Inkatha ; Health , KwaZulu and National

from

of Education the Hon . Dr Chairman

my

side who are

and Culture , F.T.Mdlalose

of Inkatha ;

Mr.

the

KwaZulu and Minister of R.

Arenstein

Arenstein Bros. , Durban and Mr. S.J. Maphalala Lecturer Department of History University of Zululand . These members of the Committee sit with nominations

from Mr.

Heunis '

side

who

are

the

Hon .

Botha Minister of Home Affairs and of Communications ; the Meyer Deputy Minister of Constitutional Development and and Mr. S.S. van der Merwe Constitutional Adviser Rautenbach ,

J.C.G.

Hon . R.P. Planning ; Dr. I.M.

Adviser .

I also say again that the Committee's work could peter out but I we say again that the formation of the Committee could mean that have made a major breakthrough in tackling the South African

18

is because the Committee could be of such It logjam . political ce to progress in the politics of negotiation , importan critical that when Mr. Heunis and I met with the Committee to initiate its work I made quite sure that all its members were aware of my of the Committee and its work . When I met with them in Cape on the

2nd March this year

MEMORANDUM

I

presented

the

following

document :

BY MANGOSUTHU G. BUTHELEZI , CHIEF MINISTER OF AND PRESIDENT OF INKATHA

FOR PRESENTATION

The

Hon .

C.J.

The

Hon .

J.C.G.

AT

A MEETING

Heunis

Botha

The

Hon .

R.P.

Mr. Dr. The

S.S. I.M. Hon .

van der Merwe Rautenbach Dr O.D. Dhlomo

The

Hon.Dr

Mr.

R.

Mr.

S.J.

Meyer

F.T.Mdlalose

Arenstein Maphalala

IN

CAPE TOWN ON

Minister Planning Minister

2ND MARCH

of Constitutional of

Home

Communications Minister Deputy

views Town

KWAZULU

1989

WITH :

Development

Affairs

and

and

of

Constitutional

of

Development and Planning Constitutional Adviser Adviser Minister of Education and

Culture ,

KwaZulu

and Secretary - General of Inkatha KwaZulu and National Minister of Health , Chairman of Inkat ha Arenstein Bros. , Durban Department of History University Lecturer of Zululand

your colleagues , the Mr. Minister , Deputy Minister and of Constitutional Development and Planning and the Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Botha . I want to start off by observing that the magnitude of what is being attempted in this Committee that we have established lays down the magnitude of any failure we may end up with . We set out to identify and address obstacles impeding the process there is

of negotiation common ground .

as well as to formulate principles on which This is an important assignment . When one

is attempting something which is not very important , failure is not very important . In this Committee we will be attempting to make a break -through which be will break - through of historic a significance .

We

just

dare

not

fail .

I

want therefore at the outset of this Committee's working life to striving what I see to be the objectives we should be spell for . One must immediately ask questions about what it is that has not taken place which gives rise to a Committee looking at the stumbling have blocks that have prevented success . For me there been stumbling blocks which have prohibited real place between us , Sirs , and yourselves , Sir , on new constitutional future for South Africa .

negotiation taking of a the question

19

I

to

need

out

spell

clearly

as

as

I can -- and spell in the work of the I do not wear that

out

very

Committee hat here South black a as come I and African South black a as come I . today who is just not in the least bit interested in negotiating African this of structures the existing political of reconstitution a exactly - that I am not Chief Minister the as

participating of KwaZulu .

I am not in the least bit interested in even beginning to country . parliamentary Tricameral about what can be done to make the talk system work . For me blocks

this Committee must are in the politics

is open and the to write on a clean . am I local

face the question of what the stumbling of negotiation where the agenda really

respective parties are seeking consensus slate which everybody agrees must first

about what be wiped

fully aware that there are three tiers of government and that authority. local about concerned be should authorities

I am aware that regional authorities should be concerned affairs . with KwaZulu is a regional authority regional authority affairs . at regional look to existence not in is Committee this but particular a from authority come as South Africans We affairs . region

to

talk about

South

Africa

as

a whole .

We talked about South Africa We are very practiced in doing this . Buthelezi the in Africa South in we about KwaZulu talked when the about talked we when We talked about South Africa Commission . e be must Committe This . Africa in South region KwaZulu / Natal tional Constitu of Mr. Minister as that you r Ministe , informed , are taking a Development and Planning and as Acting Head of State , Botha's government during P.W. step away from the position of Mr. But I know that it was with the approval his first term of office . t your representatives are participating that Presiden State the of in this Committee .

When I South

announced the establishment of the Buthelezi African Government objected to its terms

Commission , the of reference .

Tremendous pressure was put on me to confine the concerns of the which could properly be dealt with only Commission to matters the was within confines of KwaZulu's boundaries . I asked to with it was negotiate the context of apartheid South Africa as prescribed by the Of

course

I

had

Government .

to

refuse

to

do

so .

The

Buthelezi

Commission went

ahead , did its work and produced reports . The ink was hardly dry on these Reports when the South African Government rejected them through Party in findings found

Professor Owen Horwood who was then leader of the National The Reports ' Natal as well as being Minister of Finance . Government were not rejected because the South African

fault with them .

Government

Much

had

of the

even

sound

They were

rejected

in

principle

before

the

studied them .

common

sense

in the

Reports

however

recommended

They were taken them as documents worthy of being taken seriously . ourselve between s and the then seriously in the negotiations we had of We negotiated the mutual acceptance Natal Provincial Council .

20

the

idea

of a

Joint

Executive

Authority .

We also

jointly

the KwaZulu / Natal Indaba in the knowledge that when we the Joint Executive Authority we were talking about context of a South Africa which would have to change . J.E.A. about the as an interim thing which we could while

negotiated

we

the

acceptance

of

a

sponsored

talked about it in the We talked get

Joint

on

with

Legislative

Authority . In the KwaZulu/ Natal Indaba debates we were again looking at the Africa . KwaZulu Natal region in the context of the wider South This looking at KwaZulu or KwaZulu Natal in the context of the do wider South Africa was done because it was something we could even Africa There many

before

negotiations

really got

about

the

constitutional

future

of

South

under way .

on obviously has been talk about the future of South Africa levels . It has been a preoccupation of the South African

Government

for

some

gainsaid anywhere .

time . The

That point

I

it

must

make

be

is

talked

that

the

about

is now not

talk has not been

negotiation in the true sense of the word . I do not negotiate the obedience of a child or a servant . Negotiations in the very true sense of the word are negotiations in which any differences of status or authority are suspended to make the negotiating partners equals

at

least

around

the

negotiating

chamber .

to As soon as the South African Government comes to what it wants or call à negotiating chamber and says " Thou shalt do do this off negotiations that " , become impossible . I will not start ng ati oti ept e neg if I hav to acc the continued existence of the political structures that apartheid has created . not will I context of having to accept negotiate within the the framework t men es Govern policy dictat For me there is one South Africa which . consists in 1910 .

of the

South Africa

brought

into being

by the

Act

of Union

Mr. Minister , and view , I never have and never and will deviate from insisting on the total unity of South Africa democracy always I have and will continue to seek within that is to achieve unity . If this Committee we are establishing There are my view

anything critical

fundamental differences in your of what South Africa really is .

at all , issues .

There is fronts . 28th

1987

its

members

must

know where

other

members

stand on

ambiguity about This ambiguity the

Natal

the Government's position on a number of creates problems . On Saturday , November Mercury carried a story under heading the

" Heunis Rejects Indaba Proposals " . I reacted to this report in a statement and subsequently you , press Mr. Minister , wrote to me personally saying very clearly that your press statement was not the Government's official reaction to the Indaba proposals . Yet in the press statement and everything you have ever said , there has been no retraction of the assertion that the Government rejects the majoritarian principles on which the Indaba proposals rest . I took a very strong political stand on this rejection and I not

21

withdrawn from the the Government KwaZulu / Natal

As position I adopted . formally has rejected

Indaba's

constitutional

you Now meet with my colleague Dr. with public a statement that you,

far the

as

I am essence

concerned , of the

proposals . Dr. Dhlomo and Mr. Minister ,

Dhlomo goes have removed

misconceptions that the Government has already rejected the Indaba Committee is to get anywhere If this proposals . we must stop controversy The which pussy -footing around critical issues . followed your press statement , Mr. Minister , took place 15 months ago . What is happening to the Indaba proposals ? Shall we adjourn this Committee until the Government is clear on its attitude to the proposals ? Ambiguities our open - mindedness . KwaZulu

Government / South

will

cause us to close ranks and minimise I am concerned , this Committee is a

African

Government

have a KwaZulu / Natal Indaba agenda . fact that the Indaba proposals may discussions , inevitably .

Minister ,

Mr. will ,

Sir ,

be

Committee .

I say so feature

It

does

not the

notwithstanding in the Committee's

the whole world under

intense

is watching the National Party . It international scrutiny during the next

couple of years . The forthcoming House of Assembly elections will cut off point for many if the National Party commits itself to another five year term of office in a way which does not inspire faith in South Africa by the outside world , the outside world will attack . If the National Party approaches another five years of with office the same policy prescriptions it has been using for some time now , the internal political climate harden . will Radicalism in general will become political division , there will be The it

South African really now

more

entrenched

more

acrimony .

Government needs to convince want does to negotiate a

and

across

every

South Africans

new

that

constitutional

dispensation for the whole of South Africa in which all its peoples will be constitutional equals . If it has no such intention it must say so . If it does have such an intention it must say so . a If the South African Government has no intentions of negotiating really new constitutional dispensation in an agenda which is open , then this Committee , Mr. Minister , is wasting its time . If the South African Government does want to negotiate a future that will be acceptable to Blacks , say So and we in must

Whites , Indians and Coloureds , then it surpass this Committee will every human

expectation in terms of earnestness of input and hard work to find which compromises will be needed to accommodate the totality of South Africa .

This

Committee

attack on if it is

the not

insisting

on

must

disband

if

it

is not

going

to

mount

a

serious

problems which confound negotiation . It must disband free to define what negotiations should be aiming at as well as identifying past problems . We do not have to negotiate to know our own point of view . We come with the very clear Government perceptions that has precluded our participation by negotiating within

its

own

agenda .

22

While the Government has talked about negotiation , it has continued with its politics of prescription . I really do not know how seriously are this Committee can actually get to work while there State officials , provincial officials and local body officials hard at work trying to bring Regional Services Councils into being in KwaZulu / Natal region . the This does not clear the air for really meaningful the other .

negotiations

We

in

which neither

side

imposes

its

will

on .

we the fact that tactics on the part

are in KwaZulu facing as of the Government as far assumption The Regional Services Councils are concerned . that because these Councils can be introduced in white areas by Whites assumption itself it is nothing to do with Blacks , is in an which

must face confrontationist

amounts to a very serious stumbling block prohibiting negotiations . We do not accept that there is any one white local authority in the authority whole of KwaZulu / Natal which should not be a local in which all

We

race

do not

groups

accept

that

have

representation .

there

are

functions

any

of

local

or

regional

government which can in any way be legitimately regarded as actions within White , Indian , Coloured or Black own affairs . By its very definition , a Regional Services Council is concerned with crosscommunity what any and told Services

factors .

More

Blacks

than Whites will

be

affected

by

Regional Services Council does . We cannot be pushed aside that Whites have the right to establish their own Regional Councils .

Mr.

it is Minister , ready to negotiate .

just We

no

use being dishonest with you . have been ready for a long time .

We are We

have

most to lose by not negotiating . We would not delay negotiation to score petty points . We only delay our involvement in negotiation because we are committed to the political survival of democracy in You could not wish for stronger , South Africa . and more sincere That more constant participation . than you could get from us . sincerity , constancy and a willingness to stick one's neck out can only be bought Mr.

Minister ,

with I

honesty on

ask you

the

honestly

agenda is open and that you see which it must first wipe clean .

the

part to

of the

tell

need

this

for it

Government . Committee to write write to

its

that on on

from Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , the very outset involvement in the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly and even

a

slate

of in

Our the

we were busy constructing KwaZulu Territorial Authority before it , the political power bases from which we could make inputs at the national level . very Also from the beginning of Inkatha's Year after year we strengthened existence we were doing just this . our power bases and we did so , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , by making them relevant to life around us .

23

Political

power which has no relevance relevance for for the the major events of the day is no real political power . Politics always has been all about consolidating advantages in and to in day day gains power positions .

We

cannot

sit

back with

folded

arms because

a

multi-

party democracy is not yet a reality . We most certainly cannot sit multi - party back with folded arms while others establish a democracy . If there is ever going to be a multi - party democracy and there certainly will be one - the groups that participate in it will be the

groups

is why This as with us Africa . and twists

I

that

bring

it

into being .

be so yearn for my brothers and sisters in exile to South new a we make our inputs into bringing about

vastness of South African history in all is working here in this country on turns

It is a people who make history . among the people . society as we go and black power advantages across

We the

its the

dynamic ground

are shaping and length

breadth of the country when read together have rapped Pretoria over the knuckles and said no to any further politics of prescription as far as the future of South Africa is concerned .

There are strange bedfellows in the totality of black power in this country and in a strange way some who oppose each other even complement each other in the power stakes of South Africa . It is out of discord that we sometimes dramatise the freedom of political black association and the freedom of speech . There is ongoing exile politics in the country in which our brothers and sisters in are

just

not

participating .

It

is because we are participating in it that we are so opposed by some of our brothers and sisters in exile . It is not because we doing are the wrong thing that we are opposed . We are opposed because it is we who are doing it . We are opposed because we who doing doing are it are not being led by the nose and what is dictated

to

everything

us

as

that

which shall

be

done to

the

exclusion

of

else .

In the end , however , we will be there and we will be what we are democrats instructed honest being guided by the people and being how go to and where to go . Speaker , I make the point , Mr. Honourable

Members , that the same basic democratic process which is producing us will relate us to whoever that same democratic process is also producing . Democracy is so much bigger than the political group which practices democracy . I am quite sure that when the history of the struggle is finally written from its commencement in through 1912 right to the emergence of the first new sovereign on parliament based one - man -one - vote in a system universal of franchise , the will be recorded that in the ripeness of time problems

created by the

ANC mission

in

exile

tragic

proved

conflict

soluble .

between

ourselves and

the

24

All we no the is

have

to do

is

to do what

the

people want

more and no less , we can be assured of also be assured that we will survive next . When you the thing to do

are simply doing or you are doing

us to do .

If we

do

political survival and we each day to grow stronger

something something

because you politically

think it because

you are compelled to do it or desire to do it , somebody else can stop you altogether . doing it or even force you out of doing it When , however , you do what the people want one to do , nobody can stop you .

We are basically in the politically unassailable position of what the people want us to do and revolutionaries who do not us to succeed that our brothers

simply because

it is we who are

succeeding ,

doing want

will

find my political power is very real . I plead yet again with and sisters in exile to stop opposing us and to work in

harmony with anything and everything that the black people of South Africa are busy doing . I say the same to the United Democratic Front and to COSATU . Let these organisations do what the people want them to do . Let them leave us to do what the people want us to do . They must regard the people as sovereign and if the people want to mount a multi - strategy approach in which different things done by in at are different organisations different places different times , then let it be so .

When

I

about

talk

I am saying I party before

what

take us State .

we

are

doing

in the

overall

out of the small - mindedness We say let the State come

context

of what

of those who put want first and I

today , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , yet again to make it very we actually clear come that when to negotiate about the constitutional future of South Africa , we insist that Dr. Nelson for Mandela and other jailed leaders be in the position to decide themselves whether or not

they want

to

participate .

is the inter - governmental Committee that has been formed specifically looking at what the stumbling blocks are in KwaZulu negotiations between the South African Government and the Right now initially

Government and Inkatha . It the problems that need clear of

excluding

process . be

some

of

my brothers

Open agendas

opposed by any

are

group which wants

Speaker , you can also do excluding and political that

South Africa

agenda . that

and

we

We want

sisters

absolutely useless

can an You restrict agenda enemies cannot raise something

under

is defining the problems and acceptable definition is the

to do

from the unless

amongst problem

negotiating can

anything

so .

your and make sure that political you do not want them to raise . Mr.

exactly the same by having enemies from participating must be

free

into being .

to

negotiate

to

an open agenda work in the bring the new

25

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , Our position is extremely strong , a is we do not want to bring about a South Africa which because want to not We do our own specific requirements . of creation party other any South Africa based on our own or new a create in We are definition of what a democracy ought to be . political political a wanting negotiate to of position powerful the in this country under which every group will be willing settlement to be

The

governed

theme

the way

it

will be

of this year's

Policy

governed .

Speech

is that

history

is

greater

than us all and whether we are looking at the ANC mission in exile , the PAC or we are looking at TBVC areas , history will ensure that the they are all there together with everybody else when South African cookie crumbles . I am not saying by this that some groups will not endorse themselves out of any participation in the forward march of history . I am saying that history will not endorse them out

and

history will

not

allow one

group to

endorse

another

group

National

Party .

out .

equally

is

applicable

ruling

to the

This

of course

For a about

the ANC insisted that the only long time , the South African Government is the with

thing to handing

negotiate of over

They insisted that the only thing which could power to the people . a negotiating process was the National Party's abdication initiate ambiguous on They are somewhat power as the ruling party . from them on Pressures have been building up right now . this point be only can revolution sees that whole world because the destructive

in

South Africa .

The international circumstances ( in which the ANC mission in exile first announced its armed struggle ) were altogether different in the

1960's than they are now . USSR expansionism was reaching its zenith . Dr. Fidel Castro had seized power in Cuba in 1959 and when the ANC armed struggle was announced , the Soviet Union was giving backing to Cuba . Those who turned to make the armed massive

struggle Africa

a

primary

envisaged

a

means

of bringing

Cuba - type

about

the

liberation

of South

success .

The USSR in the 1960's and the 1970's most envisaged the advent of ' perestroika ' and

certainly would not ' glasnost ' towards

have the

end of the 1980's . They would not have envisaged a withdrawal of Soviet support for any forces destabilising areas outside Soviet spheres of influence . Least of all would they have envisaged the Soviet to bring Union's participation in ' real politik ' about radical

change

The Soviet involvement

in

South Africa

Union's which

through the

involvement will yet

settlement now agreed upon , the already It has lost its bases cannot

set

up military bases

in the

prove

in

politics

Namibian

costly to the

ANC will lose in Mocambique Botswana

and

of negotiation .

settlement was Under ANC .

an the

its bases in Angola . clearly and quite

Zimbabwe .

26

clearly the Mocambican withdrawal of support very struggle within South Africa from bases against

Also

the own

for

its armed Mocambique borders was part and parcel of a wider process in which was diminishing its reliance on the USSR . Soon after Frelimo took over the government of Mocambique it had visions of joining the Soviet Union and its allies as a location for itself in the international spectrum . It then did not envisage that and the USSR other member countries of the Council unanimously Economic would Assistance oppose application

from observer

status

to

membership

status

in 1981 that Mutual for Mocambique's in

it .

to rejection of Mocambique and the USSR's refusal put its Party Frelimo on pay -roll that led the Fourth in April 1983 to make important decisions . At this farming Frelimo moved away from centralised State to

It is this Mocambique Congress Congress ,

greater reliance on small - scale farming and it moved away from State control of industry . The steps it decided centralised to Congress take at this paved the way for the kind of economic relationships since .

Mocambique

The Nkomati Accord Mocambique foreign

has

of

been

March

developing

1984

with South

cemented

policy which had been

the

in the

Africa

ever

direction

making

for

of some

of When it comes to Moscow's assessment international years . priorities it puts its own interests first , just as Washington , Mocambique puts its own interests Bonn , Paris and London do . is first and all these it in the interests of capitals and Mocambique has not to pick up the tab for an armed struggle that not

worked

for

over

25 years

and will

not

work for

another

125

years .

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable Members ,

fpom regional wars and involvement length and breadth of the world . the the

USSR and the United settlement the of

together in

a

political

The whole world wants and

foremost .

I do

a

the

USSR is now busy withdrawing

in regional conflict across the The international interests

States of America brought them together in Namibian problem would bring and them settlement

political

not

of the

South

settlement

anticipate

that

the

in

African

problem .

South Africa

USSR would disown the

ANC , nor do I believe that the USSR is going to attempt to the ANC , to but then the ANC will not dictate to Moscow increasingly Generally speaking ANC will ever the find subject more to and more pressure African South problem and not rely bringing

about

first

to deal politically military solely on

dictate either . itself

with means

the of

change .

Rhetoric will of course contain assertions that the ANC has always sought a political settlement . There will be hot denials that there has been any change in policy towards it and South Africa .

27

We

know differently .

In

the

1960's the

ANC would not

support

any

internal political initiatives because its formal position was that any involvement it may have in politics inside South Africa would detract

It of

from

its

is only the South the

total

commitment

to

the

armed

struggle .

1976 Sowetan conflict and the consequent instability African political situation that pointed out the

errors of the ANC's ways to it . The ANC then realised that it had get to in on the act and attempted to do so by a process of Cooptation

to

extend

its decision - making

powers .

It is because a process of co - optation would not work with Inkatha destroy to the ANC has turned to do everything in its power that Inkatha . Speaker , Mr. Honourable Members , it is because Inkatha community roots in the people and because it is pragmatically has any of strip it ANC the not co - opt it and could that based It is also because Inkatha is political significance of its own . however , to that the ANC will not be able in , the people , rooted - destroy

While

us .

it

moderating South and

cannot destroy

us ,

it

itself

influences emanating from changed Southern Africa . It will also

subjected to restraining influences by Africa which cannot afford to allow the within

is being

their

subjected to

the

Soviet stances towards ever - increasingly be

States bordering on ANC to operate from

South bases

countries .

While Pretoria passing year ,

has grown militarily stronger and stronger with each it has grown politically weaker with the passing of

time . The growth of Pretoria's political vulnerability , the growth . of influences in Southern Africa emanating from the outside world all and the emergence in South Africa of groups such as Inkatha , point to the fact that sooner or later the ANC will have to deal with us . I look forward to that time . I do so not because I want smugly to say I told you so . I do so because I look forward healing of a wound in the Black South African body politic .

Mr.

Speaker , to do in the the isolate

to

Sir , Honourable Members , what we are going to attempt to inter - governmental committee that has been set up stumbling been have factors that blocks to Our

involvement in the politics of negotiation , will be done for whole of South Africa . It is so tragic that uncertainty in ruling National Party is deepening precisely at this Southern African position is softening and the world prepared this in will

to back any

real

country than it back whatever gains

political interests .

the

settlement

as

movement has can

towards

a

time when the is now more

political

settlement

ever been before . The Super be made and the USSR will not

contrary

to

its

national

and

the the

Powers see a

international

28

In

my

1987

Policy

Speech

I

drew the

attention

of members

the

to

utterances of Mr. Gleb Starushenko in a " Soviet /African Conference for Peace , Co -operation and Social Progress " . Mr. Speaker , first Members , Honourable you will remember that this is the coming Mr. moderating voice that Members heard from Moscow . Deputy Starushenko as Director of the Africa Institute of the for Soviet Academy of Sciences clearly stated his preference a political settlement and even went as far as to say that the ANC white become should involved in providing protection for the minority .

Of course , these were gleeful

SACP Mr.

when

in

that and the ANC official publications stressed Starushenko's personal views and they were ver 1987 another Deputy Director of Moscow's Afric

Institute , Victor Goncharov , entered the debate while he was taking part in a Conference in Zimbabwe on Southern Africa . He distanced himself from Mr. Starushenko's minority white remarks about protection but quite was new thought and

clearly this distancing notwithstanding , it did represent more than the personal

of Mr. Starushenko . interest particular

in

Dr. Winrich Kuhne who is a Soviet policy and is head

this views

scholar with a of the Africa

Department at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Ebenhausen , an Soviet article entitled " Is there a new in West Germany , approach to South Africa " found that too much emphasis has been placed on the differences between Mr. Starushenko and Mr. Goncherov . not

The

He

isolated

new

observed

in the

thaw

in

that

Africa

the

Mr.

Starushenko's

Institute

Soviet's

views

are

certainly

in Moscow .

view of South

Africa

has

to

led

a

Members of the South wider range of contacts with South Africans . Institute of Race Relations Research staff now number among Africa Monty and Steven Friedman people who have gone to Moscow . the the by published been back which has their report Narsoo in Institute support Dr. Kuhne's statement that an isolated figure in the Africa Institute .

Mr.

Starushenko

is not

and attitude its this time when the Soviet is softening at Yet is and ANC the for had it withdrawing of support that kind the settlement peace in States the United with becoming involved South African Government is failing to respond to the programmes , changing circumstances by moving directly into the real politics of negotiation .

I am deeply disturbed , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , by reports National that the Party's top leadership is now saddled with leadership With conflicts . the return of Mr. P.W. Botha to Tuynhuys division ruling Pik

as he has announced he will between an Executive State

do , we have this President and the

National Party ! When one thinks of how Mr. Botha down publicly for even daring to make a

very strange head of the

Botha put statement

Mr. that

there may be a black president in South Africa one day , one wonders with what freedom Mr. F.W. de Klerk will be able to talk .

29

I do not believe would put Mr.

there are any Black South Africans of any note who Klerk's name down as first de their choice as Mr. Botha as leader of the National Party . successor to Mr. P.W. Party de Klerk was regarded as a hard - line Transvaal National Party . Yet , leader being driven to the right by the Conservative

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , even I what same this Mr. de Klerk said in Confidence

debate

soon

after

his

must express my surprise during Parliament the

at No

election .

Heaven knows that I oppose what Mr. de Klerk stands for politically and I will remain opposed to him until there is a new South Africa with a

multi - racial ,

multi - party democracy based

on

universal

adult

franchise . I must , however , say I was pleasantly surprised by his utterances in Parliament . In his first policy statement as leader the of the National Party he stood up to lean heavily towards National Party camp . verligt will He said : " The National Party free of racial hatred and strive for a non - racialistic country , negative discrimination on the base of race . " He said : " I want to state unequivocally that the National Party is against domination as by any one group by others . White domination , in so far it must go . " still exists , And he also said : " How we obtain such a As the just and equitable constitutional model must be negotiated . expedite leader of my Party I will do everything in my power to this

process .

Mr.

clearly states that the come has time for realistic model for non - discriminatory the maintenance of community rights . It is true that in one sense he only said old things but he did say them with a certain degree of de Klerk negotiating a

now

new

urgency and furthermore , he did say them against expectations his access to the power of party political leadership would the National

If

Mr.

then that

Party

Klerk

de

far to

has

nobody will . political the my

supports

not

the

that lead

right .

a

taken

earlier assertions

Party step

National

We as Blacks are at orientation of Mr. that

the

to the

right

least this much encouraged role new de Klerk in his far

right

will

take

The National Party is not that frightened of them over government . that they elected Mr. de Klerk as leader precisely because he could a them . Despite the fact that we as Blacks operate with appease of suspended disbelief whenever there are any promises coming have and despite the fact that we National Party spokesmen , Mr. he like de Klerk spoke , heard it all before when Mr. indeed

sense from

P.W.

Botha

before

him

is

at

least

looking

in

the

right

direction .

Mr.

Speake , Honour Member , may I ask each Honour Member r able able s to really listen to me when I say that we are engaged in developing along All been we have is political power that relevant . anticipating developing which is the situation in South and

Southern

Africa

now .

We

have

been

gearing

up towards

it .

We have

30

been but

preparing ourselves for a National Party that power because black political to negotiate

accumulating . situation in spreading

We have also been gearing up for which the major moves are towards

of war and

has no option advantages are

a Southern African peace and not the

revolution .

is our presence there at the very pulse of that which is to happen tomorrow that makes us so hated by anybody who has boat and is looking at vital new developments in South the from afar .

going

It

I be

have been looking at the broad . parameters within which we looking at what real political power is . It is within parameters that I want to stress that real political power power to bring about change . If the military power of the struggle has not military brought about change then that

missed Africa

should those

is a armed power

cannot be said to be political power . I have already stressed the military power of the South African Government far exceeds political power to do what it set out to do .

that its

positions political for for us to strive l bases if in doing so we are not hastening politica ing the direction We of change ? influenc or of change day power es reaching advantag relative where the now point a different black political groupings in the country will be put use establish

What

the and

is

it

If the South African Government test . politically weak that weakness should be

exploited by whoever

has the

power

real

For many years black politics was called the tune and Blacks who Whites were doing . Whites The political initiatives during the last decade even one

cul - de - sac

which do .

I

am

after

talking

of to

strong is militarily exploited and will be

advantage .

reactionary . It was Whites who danced their opposition to what

can now no longer really call the tune . that white politics has been taking into has thrust the white body politic

another .

today

and the are

there

Within the broad is not

much

that

parameters within

Whites

can

actually

There is recognition for this stalemate situation in white politics across a wide spectrum of white political thinking . Even those who now call for some kind of ridiculous ' Boerestaat recognise that Mr. white politics in South Africa has come to a dead end . P.W. could - do Botha - within the framework of white politics bold things

but

the

limitations which white

make that boldness only the historical cross - roads .

politics

placed

on

him could

boldness that brought white politics to where Whites - only That is politics

terminates . The

Conservative

Party recognises

this

and wants

to

go back

along

the road that white politics walked . The far far right recognises this and wants to start dreaming of the ultimate separation of Black and White when the partial or pseudo separation of Black and White

could not

even be

achieved .

31

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

political future . opportunity for

It bold

Members ,

I

am not

frightened

of

the

is going to be Black action

a future of opportunity after after bold Black action to succeed . It is this realisation that makes me so concerned about the lack of comprehension there is in so many black groupings that now need we to employ power politics and anything is that not politically

powerful

Mr. Speaker , in are House commitments . as are

a

should be

jettisoned .

Honourable Members , I this House because

tell we

you again that we in this have national political

However earnestly we discharge our responsibilities we regional government , and however pragmatically concerned to do the best that can be done for the people while we

struggle

for our

be defined

in

liberation ,

national

our prime

liberation

function

struggle

should

continue to

terms .

power additional point about political black the make I also advantages . is those groups which will emerge as relevant It to power final the the masses that will emerge with of needs the advantage . Flamboyant political adventurism could even upset apple the and spilled carts but once the apples are tip scales , and flamboyant scales are tipped , and politically ineffective .

We

always remember must politics African

' South

adventurism will

that there we after

both be

distasteful

in will be brand new dynamics country .. the liberated have

Political flood water after political flood water will sweep across are breached that have held back the the country when the dam walls 1 tides of change .

vastness problems and a of the on seen been yet not has that action opportunity for political informal Think only of the vastness of the of Africa . continent after government the Greater Durban Area where a in settlements which make to take charge of developments have will liberation

We

have

will

a

vastness

of political

and regional government relevant to local who will have to be catered for . millions have to So do

t!

new these needs of Local government will

innovate , innovate and innovate again and in seething mass of expectations and a

frustrated

could

lead

to

continuing

outbursts

they will have to when that hopes

of anger .

That is when whoever wants to govern will really which bases . This position we have on Our

have own

to have power doorstep is

duplicated across the length and breadth of the country . There is every the vastness of Winterveld and there is the vastness around city in which the uncared for will have to be cared for . Then of there into course are also the millions who have penetrated the to rest of South Africa's fabric who will stand up to be seen and be cared for .

32

Mr. makes for exciting politics but Speaker , Honourable will be weeded out and only the powerful the weak will

All this Members , remain .

Not

only will

there

have

to be

innovation

to

accommodate

people in new political structures but everywhere across the length at breadth of the country there will have to be innovation and every institutional union developments ; have to

provide

level . Whoever rules will have to they will have to guide education ;

essential

to do so while they wealth that will be

Above the of

all

else ,

health and welfare

services

plan and execute policies needed by whoever rules .

Black South

Africans

must

that

see

to

and will

can

it

guide trade will they have

generate

that

they

the

back .

right political horses now as we begin moving into the politics transition . This is why it is so urgent for white politicians

to recognise that there is now a need to unshackle black democracy . For me it is politically axiomatic that if we are going to have a future , and multi - racial Whites will suffer from black errors Blacks will suffer from white errors . I pray God that Whites will not rue the day that they did not unshackle black politics in time for it to develop the kind of black strength that will called for in South Africa during and after transition .

I want the in

to

pause

here ,

statement Mr. January this

statement know that does what picked least

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

to

examine

Oliver Tambo made on the ANC's 77th anniversary year . When I first received a copy of this

I picked it up as something that I was eager to read . I only a multi - strategy approach in which each organisation it can to bring about change will finally win through . I

up the 77th anniversary statement something that would promise that

at in the hope of seeing exile the ANC mission in

would play a political role in the future which would be dominantly a role in which it exercised proper judgement not only about what can

and

cannot

At

the

very

be

done ,

but with

I was

least

whom

hoping

it

that

should be

done .

I

find

would

clear - cut

directives at this very critical phase of South Africa's political history . I do not approach the document as a document which would give the me the opportunity to score points off the leadership of Mr. ANC in exile . Speaker , Sir , Honourable Members , I really was would with my of some you like to share I and disappointed I do so because I am looking at the bases of real reactions to it . power and we have to understand the other actors in the field when accumulating we real are assessments of whether or not we make power .

Generally actually

speaking see

I was

himself

as

astounded one who

that

Mr.

uttered

Tambo Oliver and ideas ,

the

could more

Simply put that the statement contained . particularly the idiom , images and quite ideas of extravaganza an is statement the unbefitting even . of any real political leader or analytical mind most the muster us 1980's has seen " The statement : the Take gigantic ,

organised

and active

political

force

for the

liberation

33

of our motherland . and universities , villages

and

farms

The townships the churches , have

become

and the work place , the schools mosques and temples , and the

important

sites

of struggle

for

the

eradication racial tyranny . of Umkhonto we Sizwe is developing combatants , together into an effective army of the people - its with the revolutionary masses , delivering more and more effective blows against the regime . This extravagance is followed by the statement : " Increasingly the ANC is recognised as the alternative power . "

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable Members , I know this man . I knew him before he went into exile . I has been in exile . This is not his kind

with him . while he

I

have

have

dealt met him language .

of What is happening to the ANC mission in exile that Mr. Tambo up stands and utters these kind of extravagant platitudes ? only have real world

to compare leaders to

them with states take the point I

of the

nation am making .

now You

addresses

by

its length of some seven pages single line analysis worthy of the name and talks of no contains typed foolscap The whole statement called a strategy . being no strategy worthy of it is characterised not only by extravagance but more damning ,

The

statement

characterised

throughout

real

by a very

lack of politics .

Take the statement It constantly defines action in military terms . Pretoria The under the caption ' Pretoria's rule by force ' : .. only is regime not as determined as ever to use maximum force , to within our country but also in other parts of region , Our None should therefore protect and defend the system of apartheid . entertain any illusions that the regime is softening in any way . "

This kind Pretoria picture

of statement is not only a very inadequate as a problem , it is positively dangerous . of South Africa

is the greatest threat . militarism because I militarily know that give

rise

to

it

it is becoming power does not

political

is

very make

Pretoria's

of a

militarism which

am not afraid powerful as

of Pretoria's Pretoria is I politically vulnerable . up for deficiencies that

vulnerability .

to statement : " Clearly , seek the oppressors people , paralyse their organisation , silence Our and thus leave the political stage clear for their futile prop to up the doomed system of apartheid . " Take that

Then take immobilise

leaders attempts

speaking , military

in which

Mr. Speaker , I as know that

definition It paints

the the

statement and read it in conjunction with the statement : " At the core and in the leadership of the regime is a clique of bitterhands . have the instruments of state power in their enders who These are turn prepared to murder and maim , to destroy and our country

rule . "

into

a wasteland ,

solely to protect

their

illegitimate

34

Mr.

Speaker ,

again the

definition

terms of a violent problem by violently . be dealt with restrictions imposed on mass out

into

ever bolder

of

the

violent men Take the democratic

relief the

central

South African

role

of

the

of the

There we Tambo's

Mr. Honourable Members , Speaker , have it, what definition of has to be done . It

politically ,

in

which by implication must statement : " Indeed , the organisations have brought

vanguard

armed

problem

underground

struggle . "

not only because

he

advocates

something

this is Mr. dangerous

is

that

has

not

been done and will not be done , but he downgrades political action statements . downgrades in making these kind of He political analysis which alone can lead to political action when he says : " We must launch the biggest offensive at all levels to smash the local authorities , regional service councils and so - called national councils . " He is again militarist .

In talking Angola . militarist when he talks about ents nt lopm e leme deve bian are the sett " Thes he says : about the Nami ar ered by at hing es icul suff defe of, crus ctiv the of , part in dire e hern d aval o ine Angola . Sout in thei Cuan Cuit at the war mach apar He

is

just

as

Humiliated , and its military doctrine and strategies in a shambles , The shame . racist army was forced to retreat from Angola in the fighting National Congress pays tribute to the valour and African skills Cuban

Republic of Angola , the of the armed forces of the People's have , internationalist forces and the fighters of SWAPO who

in combat , Angola . "

buried

racist

Pretoria's

aggressive

dreams

of

conquering

Mr.

Speaker , Honourable Members , I actually blush for Mr. Oliver Tambo . Those of us who actually live in this country and who wage the struggle in South Africa and are informed because we are here , know that Pretoria's was agreement gained in political negotiations . South Africa's withdrawal was from Angola a political move really is not to

strike

for

liberation

This says :

for which it had been preparing helpful so to vaunt the spectre

back in war is

that

totally

the

real

for a long time . of war and the need

politics behind

the

struggle

obscured .

militarist idiom continues . Later in the armed struggle is more vital than

everything the only is the

regime has done this past year use of force which enables the

statement Mr. Tambo ever before , and It emphasises this . regime to remain in

power . " And the final paragraph of the statement reads : " Accordingly , the National Executive Committee of the African Congress National declares 1989 the year of mass action for by people's power . Let this last year of the decade be marked for unprecedented mass action for an end to the apartheid system , the

creation

of a

united non - racial

and

democratic

South

Africa . "

35

must I Members , I said to myself that Honourable of kind and this political extravagance kind of to statement the further and deeper into look and

Mr. Speaker , ignore this militarism

I looked , Mr. Speaker , Honourable discover its political message . Members , but there is no political analysis ; there is no political power the point of view of looking at what real From statement . this document defines the is , quite the not is that that

ANC as case .

being But

Now we know powerless . is what ask I again

Tambo has to agree to make this kind happening to the ANC that Mr. talking In The statement has vague generalities . of statement ? afflicting the crisis all - embracing the of depth " the about Oliver Tambo says : " Its [ the South Mr. apartheid ruling clique " , one policies and programmes have , African Government's ] ideology , people's the resolute the face of in crumbled another , after And he says : " The criminal regime has reduced our country march . " regulations courts and its administration , a huge prison into tailored

to

conceivable

every

by

domination

intensify white

and

maintain means . "

Mr. Speaker , of power base vaguely about march ?

Whether African

Who

What kind Honourable Members , this is not analysis . is Mr. Oliver Tambo referring to when he talks So the people's resolute march? What constitutes a marched when and where ?

he

is

talking

Government

about

in broader

Black South southern

Africa ,

African

or

terms ,

the

South

there

is the

same lack of analysis . Mr. Tambo says : " ... The Pretoria regime is as determined as ever to use maximum force , not only within Our country but also in other parts of our region to protect and defend the system of apartheid . None should therefore entertain any that the regime is softening in any way . ' illusion It is another kind has of militarist statement which no analytical value whatsoever .

You

cannot

today

talk about

Southern

Africa .

ignore

and

vitally

important but newly emerging realities . However much every Black South African knows that in the past Pretoria has military made as excursions a into neighbouring States and it did act destabilising military might , we also all know that there is a lot more

I

in

have

South and

Southern

Africa

than

already

referred

to

implications

reform

programme We priorities .

and

its

own

the

militarism .

redefinition

of

of

the its

USSR's

Own

international

know that this altered stance of the Soviet Union is going to make a difference to Southern Africa . We know that the already that it is going to has kind difference of make been in the Namibian accord . witnessed We know that beyond the direct influences the of the Soviet Union the disillusionment of Soviet by the Frelimo government its Union governments like has Own implications .

36

It is simply just not good enough to define everything in terms of military power and brute force . There is a lot more on the earth beneath and the heavens than meets the eye . of It is the task political

analysts

to

expose

what

there

is .

Talking about judges of the Court Mr. Tambo calls them " accomplices in murder " and says that the Sharpeville Six were sentenced to " So as death to quench the judicial thirst for the blood of blacks . "

He

adds :

" The

use

of the

courts

in an

attempt

to

suppress

action struggle is in keeping with the plan of virtually Pretoria the regime last year implemented by , when it banned the whole UDF , some of its affiliates and other the

democratic

organisations

and

imposed

severe

restrictions on

COSATU . "

Members , Speaker , Honourable I have always been aware that South African courts have meted out sentences required by unjust laws . I have also , however , known that our courts are one of the things few have ever given us hope . that We remember what we ourselves we could do through the when courts opposed the incorporation of the Ingwavuma area into Oliver Swaziland . Mr.

Mr.

Tambo himself has sanctioned the expenditure of ANC money in fighting battles in our courts at every twist uses our courts .

and

turn as

political

of millions of dollars The UDF use our vehicles .

COSATU also

I have South

always been very careful to foster pride in anything that is the future . My African and worthy of being carried into whole basic approach is that strategically it is vitally important for Blacks to recognise the need to salvage the best that there is Tambo in order to jettison the worst that there is . Mr. Oliver extravagant talks about nothing that is salvageable . His whole militarist approach paints a picture of the need to destroy and not to salvage . This picture must give rise to destructive forces and cannot give rise to constructive forces .

Oliver Tambo should deal with realities but Mr. Under the caption ' Pretoria's crushing election he defeat ' paints a picture of mass action on the part of Black during South Africa which delivered a terrible defeat to Pretoria Political analysis avoids doing so .

last year's by -elections . He activists of the mass democratic

says : " We salute movement who braved

spread the boycott message far and wide . " The Relations published a very useful analysis happened here and

When

leaders all odds

Institute of what

and to

of Race actually

changes and confirms basically that while there were some there , elections in black areas yielded nothing new .

you

have to

lie

about

political

realities

to

make

political

propaganda you must always remember that when you lie to people who you open actually know the facts of the matter , yourself to ridicule . We are here in this country , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members .

For goodness

sake ,

Mr.

Oliver

Tambo

must

remember

that we

37

know what is going on . He must remember that he is addressing South Again Africans and not only uninformed international communities . I blush for Mr. Tambo when I think of how he is making statements which are SO far removed from realities as we know them .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , my concern really is very deep . Oliver am not standing up today to score political points off Mr. am I raising a Black South African voice and saying Mr. Tambo . listen to us , the people of South Africa in South Africa . Tambo Hear we

us when we

say we want

say we want proper

politics ,

analysis

in

not

propaganda .

order to

define

Hear

us when

political

action .

Mr.

Speaker , Honourable Members , let me take yet another statement Tambo made and look at it in the contest of defining problems . Tambo says : Under the caption ' Where do we go from here ? ' Mr.

Mr.

" Despite

the

massive

boycott ,

proceed with its plans to in black areas , which we

the

constitute swept away

Pretoria

regime

will

certainly

the system of local government in the struggle . It will also

to establish its regional services executive committees and its so - called

councils , its provincial national council . " He also

says : " All these structures are of central and decisive to the regime because they represent the heart of its "1 programme .

importance political

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , Mr. Tambo is talking about arenas we in which we ourselves do battle daily . We know the score and know he is painting a picture that is very dangerous . He is painting paints

Mr. more

a

a picture of the South African Government dabbling and picture of this dabbling being dangerous to us all .

Speaker , Honourable particularly , it

he

Members , it is we here in this country and is we here in this Assembly who have made

sure that the Tricameral Parliament will be scrapped . We are afraid of its continuation ; it cannot continue for over long . raise the spectacle of the South African Government being

not To all

powerful in its implementation of policy , is quite contrary to the reality of the South African Government's dilemmas . Its dilemma is is that it cannot implement its policy . It knows that apartheid not a workable proposition . If we deny that the South African learning lesson we be Government is this will blind to the opportunities which

follow

for

political

action .

Mr. I This lack of analysis am concerned , Speaker . does recognise that the South African Government cannot implement apartheid policies any longer , indulged is deliberately in justify the armed

I

have

already

struggle

pointed

and

to the

killing

for

political

fact that whereas

not its to

purposes .

in the years

gone

by the National Party tried to side - step issues by continuing to do the same thing but calling it something different . It played with words in the past but its dilemmas are now such that it cannot get

38

away

with

National

doing

Party

so even

talks

amongst

today ,

it

its own

reflects

its

When

the

and does

not

supporters . dilemmas

Its dilemmas are such that only reflect its political propaganda . Tambo says : power" Notions such as Mr. they cannot be hidden . selfminority rights , group rights , sharing without domination , determination for the various groups , the a nation of minorities , mean one

of democracy and so on all extension only - apartheid by another name . "

What

kind

picture of the

of

a power base

is Mr.

Oliver

he paints blinds everybody to Government ? can How he be

vulnerability when he denies

it

thing

Tambo

and

building

the political preparing to

thing

one

if

the

vulnerability attack that

exists ?

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that I know this Again I observe , can I when I think about his 77th anniversary statement and man will there that think to begun actually has he conclude that only astute He is victory for the ANC in South Africa . be a military African he is clever enough to know that , if the South and enough democratic of non -violent actually crumble because does cookie ion negotiat of politics the is it d if and , on aparthei to oppositi then what he is doing sets up a government after apartheid , which is

ensuring

that

he

loses out .

South Africa will be is where I differ with his perspectives . because thrust into democracy and it will be thrust into democracy negotiation non - violent opposition and because the politics of of our of many It is sad that so ground . the finally off gets there in out died in exile have already sisters and brothers there strange places and it is sad that more of them will die out is It see the day of liberation for South Africa . they be fore

This

also sad that those who live to see South Africa liberated will see not a South Africa liberated by ways and means in which they will . participate

I would sisters

like to to home

stretch out a hand and bring these brothers fight the good fight that has to be fought

and and

perhaps , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , we should begin thinking about how this could be done for those who are ready to return . In our deliberations after I have delivered my policy speech , we may well discuss the question of possible political amnesty and see whether our wisdom dictates that to the South African Government .

it

is

something

that

could be

put

As I say , Mr. Speaker , it would appear to me that Mr. Oliver Tambo is not preparing to participate in the structurin bases g of power which will be used in the actual transformati of So Af ri ut ca . h on In talking under the caption ' Peace among the oppressed ' Mr. Tambo says : " ... Vigilante death squads have been in formed many townships , wrecking havoc in the service of the regime . These bands hope to impose themselves on the people . "

39

political Oliver Tambo does not make any quite clearly Mr. Again Honourable in the Speaker , we are Members , Mr. analysis . townships , the we organise people in in the townships , we lead townships ,

We

know

and once

that

established

and

more ,

Mr.

Speaker ,

I

say we

know the

score .

there

are equilibriums of violence which re - established in our townships . We know that

are this

happens because ultimately the people in townships will always ensure a certain degree of normality in the free movement of people and goods in and out of townships . Without this movement people die in their tens of thousands , and perhaps even in their hundreds of thousands . We know that you can enforce boycotts or can disrupt services bus for suffering just so long before the people's is increased to the point where they say enough is enough and put · an end to what confrontationists are attempting to do . I can think of nothing more futile than to rush into a township to ferment violence only to be finally rejected by backlashes another township to rush in to ferment violence to same kind of inevitable backlash .

We

have

always been dismayed

that

in the

and

then to

again

violence

spreading

find

suffer the

in the

emerged Greater Pietermaritzburg Area and the violence which later the that the carnage went on and on without further afield , even and the UDF really doing whatever could be done to bring about Even in the end when we managed to strike a cessation of violence . the UDF some kind of accord with COSATU for whatever it was worth , and the ANC remained aloof .

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable Members ,

I

am absolutely

incensed

that

in

this 77th anniversary statement Mr. Oliver Tambo , in the guise of calling for a cessation of violence in KwaZulu / Natal , actually puts up Inkatha as the legitimate target for attack . Не said : " The African

National Congress supports all genuine efforts aimed at resolving this conflict . We call on those members of Inkatha who still form part of the vigilante squads not to play into the hands of the Pretoria regime , the real enemy of our people . They must refuse to do the bidding of the warlords and their masters , and do everything

Mr.

possible

Speaker ,

to

unite with their brothers

Honourable Members ,

when Mr.

and

sisters . "

Oliver Tambo

says

that

Inkatha takes part in vigilante squads which play into the hands of he is Pretoria and does the bidding of warlords and their masters , Inkatha an sentence on anybody who wears death the pronouncing The ANC has always played this role of agent provocateur uniform . between

Inkatha

and other black organisations . it .

organisations to do the ANC's dirty work for peace in the Greater Pietermaritzburg Area until echelons of Inkatha , the ANC and the UDF develop

It

wants

these

There will be no leaders in the top common

40

The ANC just cannot bring itself even to meet with Inkatha for fear that this will be a recognition that Inkatha must be dealt with politically . The ANC adopts this hostile role and refuses to talk us to Africa because it has no real political bases inside South from which it could mount any initiative .

There

are

now many

in the

UDF and

COSATU ,

and

even

in the

External

Mission of the ANC itself , who perpetuate the myth that the ANC is alive , well and functioning inside South Africa . They point to events in which there are violent confrontations and claim these to be the initiatives borrowed light which ,

of

its in the

cadres . The eyes of some ,

ANC also the

basks

UDF and

under the

ANC

shed .

Mr. be

Speaker , Honourable Members , I most certainly would not like credibility Oliver Tambo who relies for his political Mr. leadership other structures in other organisations over which only Not only can hope to have indirect control . is there

to on he a

danger of Mr. Oliver Tambo miscalculating on what will emerge to be a Third Force but he is also placing faith in a leadership leadership which itself is ineffective . We who meet the UDF and COSATU in political arenas on a day to day basis are aware of the extent to which they are dismembered , fragmented and scattered organisations in which concerted

action

is

actually

very difficult .

Greater the in with these organisations dealings In Own our conclusion that Pietermaritzburg Area we reluctantly came to the know the dog did not even the tail was not wagging the dog , when We came to the conclusion that unless the top that it had a tail . direct into brought were COSATU and leadership UDF the of no peace be would initiatives , there peace in involvement We initiatives . become afford to

know that the UDF's top leadership also directly involved in peace initiatives

Greater Pietermaritzburg fate in this area .

Area

because

they do

not

control

cannot in the

their own

spectacle , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , of the UDF They Winnie Mandela . being most unseemly about Mrs. COSATU Mandela Mrs. a press conference and their vicious attack on me , Speaker , Mr. Allow world . the across right spread Broadcasting you British the to Members , read to Honourable

We had the and held was

Corporation's

report

of what

happened

at

this

press

conference .

41

EXTRACT

FROM BBC

SUMMARY OF WORLD

UDF AND

A

news

conference

President Murphy the

in

Morobe and

South

African

17TH

FEBRUARY

1989

COSATU CONDEMN WINNIE MANDELA

Johannesburg

Gumede ,

Archie

BROADCAST :

former

on

COSATU President agency .

16th February

acting Elijah

A statement

Barayi

read

attended by UDF secretary

publicity

UDF

out

was

reported

by Morobe

by

on behalf

of the " mass democratic movement " ( representing the UDF and COSATU ) the expressed outrage at Mrs. Mandela's alleged " complicity " in recent abduction and assault of Stompie Moeketsi , the agency said . Reaffirming " unqualified support " for Nelson Mandela , the statement said the actions associated with the Mandela United Football Club " should never be used to undermine the esteem in which still we hold Comrade Nelson . " However , fought

the

statement

continued , the democratiç against violations of human

uncompromisingly

movement rights

had from

whatever quarter and was " not prepared to remain silent where those who are violating human rights claim to be doing so in the name of view the struggle against apartheid . We are of the that Mrs. Mandela has abused the trust and confidence which she has enjoyed over the years . She has not been a member of any of the democratic structures of the UDF and COSATU , and she has often acted without consulting have the democratic movement . Often her practices violated the

spirit

and

ethos

of the

democratic

movement . '

The statement said Mrs. Mandela's actions had increasingly into conflict with the mass democratic movement , with

led her recent

conflict centred around the conduct of the football club , which had been widely condemned by the Soweto community . " In particular , we outraged are by the reign of terror that the team has been Not only is Mrs. Mandela associated with the associated with . team ,

in

fact the

team

Answering questions that Mrs. Mandela anything

is

her

own

creation " ,

the

statement

said .

on the statement , Morobe said the consensus was should be shunned and that no one should have

further to do with her .

This very unseemly action took place on the eve of a meeting of the we Central Committee of Inkatha held on the 18 / 19th February and felt

quite

Central

"We how

obliged

Committee

to

make

adopted

the members of the political vicious

and

our

own

statement

published

the

Central Committee propaganda based

We hear the accusations proven can be . with a deep sense of disquiet .

of on

on the

following

issue .

Inkatha are accusations

against

Mrs.

The

resolution :

aware of not yet

Winnie

Mandela

42

WE THEREFORE 1.

To

RESOLVE :

ask

until

the world person

a

to be proved

is

civilised and

to

presume

innocence

guilty .

2.

ask the world to remember what it is like for a young wife To and mother to be isolated from her husband and to be left isolated for 26 years .

3.

To apologise to Dr. Nelson Mandela and to Mrs. Winnie Mandela unseemly by the for behaviour of some Blacks as shown the UDF's unseemly haste to distance itself from Mrs. Mandela in case they

are

proved wrong

by association with her . "

We did not feel called upon to make any stand ourselves and had the COSATU not made their statement , UDF and we would have stood in waiting for to dignity their matters run course . Quite fortuitously had to Mandela I an opportunity of speaking Mrs. directly message

Mr.

on

an

that

altogether different

a

member

Speaker , we

not

is proven . that it is how

understand

Mandela

can

is , What Lusaka to rather

Mandela

matter ,

after

family wanted

I to

had

do

what

who

been done

however , of interest explain themselves to

bizarre

event

and

a

me .

most

innocence

There is so much point and counter point do always prudent to be cautious . I also

anyone has

received

speak to

Honourable Members , we acted with honour acted in a civilised manner by assuming

certainly

before guilt in politics

of the

the

seeds

claims to

to love

and

respect

Dr.

his wife .

is that the UDF had to trot off to this I see in their ANC bosses . ANC of trouble germinating for the

How many more surprise moves will the leadership Mission in exile . out How many times will they yet act of the UDF and COSATU make ? their in themselves which they define for interests vested of What kind of power base is circumstances , regardless of the ANC ? the and not

ANC really attempting to build if it is I ask the even more pertinent COSATU ? relying only on the UDf and COSATU for

relying only on the UDF question , if the ANC is where its power bases ,

We know just too much about South on earth are these power bases ? not are to be fobbed off with assertions that power bases Africa act to has and organisation because banned a is ANC the visible underground .

While am dealing with this subject of ANC power bases , like to bring the attention of Honourable Members to an It published in the November 1988 issue of ' Sechaba ' . follows :

would I editorial as reads

43

NELSON MANDELA AND

There has Mandela .

GATSHA BUTHELEZI

about the release of Nelson speaking with many tongues . thousands Millions of people have demanded Mandela's release , and thousands have campaigned for his release . If Nelson Mandela is released it will not be because the racists have had a change of heart .

It

throughout

been a lot of speculation The apartheid regime is

will

be because

the world

is so

the

loud

voice

that

Gatsha Buthelezi has also gone on the release of Nelson Mandela . release UDF

when his thugs

members

are

being

are

the

democratic

cannot be

record Can he

killing

harassed ?

of

it

as one of those who demand genuinely be for Mandela's

Mandela's

Is this

forces

ignored .

his

followers , double

when

the

agenda ?

Gatsha Buthelezi has nothing in common with Nelson Mandela . Gatsha boasts of leading six million Zulus ; Mandela has never boasted of Even if we being a leader of the entire South African population . assume Gatsha is correct in claiming to be a leader of the six million Zulus , he has no right to rule them with an iron fist . What we see in Natal is that big - tribe chauvinism is not being used against other ethnic groups as such . Ethnicity becomes a useful especially This tool , after failing to solve political issues . does show that there is nothing like a political vacuum . The absence of democratic popular political structures in Natal makes a mockery The of Gatsha's call for the release of Nelson Mandela . UDF and COSATU , the most democratic structures in the country , are being

hounded

out

of

Natal .

the for campaigner wants to be regarded as a genuine Gatsha If that it he must change his image so of Nelson Mandela , release and looks He must tackle political issues like that of Mandela . which is not part Inkatha , stop using ethnicity as a substitute . UWUSA is needs to be overhauled ; of the mass democratic movement , Gatsha's vigilantes are not engaged a caricature of a trade union . in armed

struggle ,

but

in doing

Botha's

job .

Another disturbing factor is the announcement by the British intends to go Minister , Margaret Thatcher , that she to Africa . This is said when there is talk about Mandela's already We know what she will say when she returns to likely to sanctions don't work . She is contradict sanctions will P.W.

Botha

capitals defeated there .

hurt

has

Blacks

suddenly

most ,

and ,

become

a

by

implication ,

diplomat ,

Prime South

release . Britain : herself :

they do work .

visiting

African

and pursuing the same old game . Even after they have been in Angola , they have not abandoned the idea of going back Now they want to go back via other independent states .

All these developments are not in the spirit we are told is soon to be released .

of

Nelson

Mandela ,

who

44

It he

is my prayer that Dr. Nelson Mandela will be released and that will be released on a very early date . He is his own man ; he will make his own assessments and he will charter his own course . I want

of prison whichever way

him out

and tired of people who speak on his them when they are wrong about him . released

because

have a right campaigning form

of a

For

the

I

striving

goes ,

but

I

just

get

for a

democracy

in which

sick

correct leaders

all

will

to have their say . His message in appreciation for my for his release was published a few years ago in the

telegram

ANC to

release of line they

am

he

behalf when he cannot I want all political

from Mr.

have

the

Ayob ,

temerity

then the

to

make

Dr. Nelson Mandela dependent lay down , is just too much .

Mandela

my

right

family

to

lawyer .

plead

for the

on my towing the political anniversary In his 77th

address , Mr. Oliver Tambo calls for black unity and the building of a broad front but we are left wondering what kind of a front he can really be calling for when his organisation goes on these personal vendettas against me and tries to humiliate Inkatha .

They

forget

that

its

in

Inkatha

1.6

strong

million

presence

in

South Africa is located on the very forefront of the struggle which They forget that Inkatha's members goes on on a day - to - day basis . are there in the thick of it . They forget that Inkatha's members eat , live , sleep and work in townships , that they are an integral part of the black community and of Black South African society .

The

kind

of

insults

they mete

that

out

Inkatha

to

him in

is

the

in

fact

a

microcosm

editorial

have

just read out , are insults pouring scorn on millions of Black South Africans . You will remember that the late Mr. Johnson Makathini said that an ANC government would ban Inkatha . Leaving aside the remoteness of that possibility that the ANC will actually form the next government , the kind of unmanageable upheaval which such a banning would cause could not even be faced by the ruling National can Party There are some things you at the zenith of its might . banning do , the and some things you just dare not do , and of Inkatha

is

most

certainly

in

this

latter

category .

Honourable Members , Mr. Speaker , there is another whole nexus of which considerations I now want to examine as we are looking at what political power is . There are black leaders who hold political positions ; they hold political effective leadership

there are black and positions there are those

created leaders who posture political positions .

I really aspirant confirm

both as

leaders who posture as though step from a further away celebrity leaders and media-

leaders

and as

though they

have

do not want to pour scorn on any black leader , or even any black leader . That is not my intention . I simply need to Our that we in this House are doing the right thing .

leadership

is so

under

attack that

I

have

decided

the

time

has

come

45

to define it to re - assess are doing ,

it

is

for this

purpose .

you decade , denigrating been who have

If you look back at will find that it other under

to look at it , to examine it in detail and compare what we are doing with what others

this year , When I it .

the political debate over the last is not Inkatha which has set about

organisations and other leaders . It is we There attack . is a certain sense , however ,

in which

in

politics all publicity is good publicity . We have the phenomena of Mr. Salman Rushdie's ' Satannic Verses ' becoming an instant all - time vehemently by Ayatollah best seller because he was attacked so Khomeini . The word Inkatha has become a household word . I would dare

say

heard of

But the Inkatha

that

there

is

hardly a

soul

in

South Africa who has

not

it .

massive amount of media attention that has been directed at has had its drawbacks . One of the most unrecognised

drawbacks into the

is the really substantial media campaign against me

amount of money which is poured some and Inkatha . I am like

kind of tooth - sharpening device for every aspirant young leader and want Inkatha is the mountain against which the up - and - coming to test

This whole

their strength .

I is not so very important , however . new generation of leaders and I do not used as a testing ground for political

do not mind shaping a Inkatha minds think Where strength . my is that the orchestrated media attack It critical ears of the uninformed .

being concerns do

emerge , however , ied to the carr is against Black South Africans who are my not is concern here . Inkatha's real massive growth rates have been sustained media favourable publicity that Inkatha gets and by the Inkatha and other organisations that is apparent between black man

and woman

who

In

part

by the contrast to the

score .

know the

One

only has to take the Kagiso Trust or the pressures on the United major States ' Aid Department and one only has to take the Christian donor agencies across the length and breadth of West Europe and North America to see the real damage that has been done . The gathering financial resources of for black political organisations is really big - time business . Many millions of rands are

raised

sustain amongst

for

the

organisations

themselves because the poorest of the

in

they have poor .

South Africa which cannot insufficient

committed

even

support

are which projects fund to are donated dollars of y intensel fact ent in are which developm but projects nominally lion's their receive not did COSATU and UDF the If political . not they would of the millions that come into the country , share ate even have the wherewithal to hold press conferences and orchestr The ANC Mission in exile must by events they do orchestrate . the

Millions

reeeiving

now

be

West

Europe

and

in

North

excess

of

America .

40 million

dollars per

annum

from

46

this kind of money presentations of scenarios and interpretation of events in South Africa . Half of the dishonesty in black politics would disappear if black leaders dance did not trot off around the globe intent on discovering the and

it

that the

I is

say , all

piper

real big - time business to raise raised on image , myth , on

likes best

to

see

and

dances

it

to

get

the

piper

to

pay .

are us we pause for a moment and look at the kind of money the European Economic about with us start let and talking Community . The EEC opposes apartheid and makes money available

Let

through its Commission in Brussels for humanitarian relief and to about strengthen opposition apartheid . We are talking a money . Since the beginning substantial amount of of the EEC funding funded of South African projects , 220 projects have been with a total of 59.9 million ECU . In 1989 alone 25 million ECU has been

pledged .

The

funds

in the proportion

given

are

humanitarian

30% for training

support ,

of and

58 %

social

for

education

and

12 %

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , 43 % of all legal assistance . to to fund South African projects is channelled given money South African Council of Churches and the Southern Africa Bishops Conference . Another 50 % goes to the Kagiso Trust remaining

7%

is

donated

to

trade

union

and for EEC the

Catholic and the

projects .

Honourable Members , we live in this country , we know Speaker , Mr. We have Dr. Allan Boesak , we have Dr. Beyers the who's who of it . as Tutu Naude , Father Mkhatshwa and we have Archbishop we have They are also the trustees of the Kagiso Trust . We know that . scene decision - makers of the SACC . 93 %

of

all

SACC is used affiliates .

The

member

EEC

prime behind - theWe know that the

the and money which is given to the Kagiso Trust for the benefit of the UDF , COSATU and their

primarily

money of A veil of secrecy is thrown over the whole the name of the only know We programme .

governments

ends up . actually funding EEC's the

of the

EEC do

not know

where

the

States

no given are In a written details of how these organisations spend EEC money . Andrew Mr. 1882/87 by No. to the European Parliament , question reads and its official answer given on the 24th April 1988 Pearce

recipient

as

organisation

but

the

EEC

member

follows :

the Commission indicate which no - governmental Will Question : victims of received money for assisting have organisations floods

in

Natal ,

South Africa ?

47

[ Mr.

Answer : emergency Natal in

Natali

on

aid of R200 province in

000 the

implemented by along with the SACBC , SACC ,

behalf

of

Commission ]

the

ECU in favour of victims Republic of South Africa

of is

EEC floods being

Irish governmental agency organisation Trocaire following implementing agencies : Kagiso Trust , Medical and National and Dental Association

Diakonia .

This is public Speaker , Honourable Members . written reply to In his knowledge ends . the Commission Natali replied on behalf of Mr. 295/87 question the Commission has consistently declined to discuss " The saying : could this by this programme since individual schemes supported beneficiaries indirectly the harm the interests of or directly to regard in confidentiality that or suggest the concerned

Mr. There we have it , knowledge but there

being

programme was not

The

1)

2)

Commission was

observed . "

asked

a

further

two

questions

as

follows :

EC under only Is the aid Programme 935 allocated for humanitarian purposes ? If the beneficiaries are acting openly claims , as and legally , Mr. De Clercq why must the implementation

of

secret it ?

even

that

not

the programme the

European

be

such

closely

a

Parliament

can be

guarded

told

about

divulge this to that , by refusing providing it is the European Parliament , for reason authorities with a plausible mean only not would which , funds the of transfer blocking the but also lead to a deterioration an end to the aid programme ,

Does

it

not

information South the

in

consider

even to African

between

relations

the

EC and

South

Africa ?

the European the answer was : Part of " The Commission provides with considers Parliament as much information as it compatible confidentiality with the necessary to safeguard the efficient of the special programme . implementation And " The Commission is since not prepared to make public details of individual projects the intention of the special programme is individuals who are victims of the apartheid

assist to primarily legislation while

the same time safeguarding their human dignity . " In another answer Mr. to another question , Pearce included the following statement : would recall that such projects support non - violent activities "I for peaceful change in South Africa , and are not decided on the basis

The

of political

SACC ,

UDF ,

considerations . "

COSATU and

Diakonia

as

recipients

of

EEC

money

can

therefore spend money without being accountable for it . They only have to prove that it has been spent . They need say nothing about what it is spent on . Let us therefore turn to the Kagiso Trust

48

itself and see what it has to say about who shall and who shall not the In a guideline to applicants about receive money through it . screening and its project methods the Kagiso Trust's criteria trustees say that projects should be non - racial and they should support that and promote unity and add : " This implies projects that ,

directly or

not be

supported . "

indirectly ,

attempt

to

thwart

these

aims

should

They say that the " projects should promote democratic practice , and that should be democratic in their own practices . This implies directly be that projects must either community based , or communities participation all

sounds document

and /or within

Mr.

very fine ,

reads :

1.4 .

their representative organisations projects at a policy - making level . " Speaker ,

but

paragraph

1.4

in

enjoy This this

"

NON - COLLABORATION .

by the

Projects initiated and /or controlled government , any of its structures cannot

South African

be supported . This includes structures under the control of the " homelands . " " self - governing states " or organisations participating

That

is the

within

political

any

axe

of these

down

comes

that

structures .

on

Inkatha's

neck .

The

Inkatha is intensely democratic , community based and that Inkatha's Annual General Conference , composed of community selected the of body decision - making supreme the is representatives , pour Kagiso Trust the trustees of The . irreleva is movement nt They tow the abuse on us because they say we work with the enemy . fact that

ANC line

in

trying

to

denigrate

us .

You will

remember , Mr. Speaker , that the Kagiso trustees told the EEC that unless it towed the line and did what the trustees wanted it the Trust would not accept any EEC do , money . In their policy document to guide recipients of funds in South Africa , the

Kagiso

trustees

think on the

PROPOSED

POLICY

following

DOCUMENT

FUNDS

1.

TO

SOUTH

GUIDE

RECIPIENTS

OF

AFRICA

It is agreed between the recipient organisations and the donor bodies that the donor supports fundamental change in South Africa and the attainment of a non - racial , democratic and based upon society unitary internationally recognised principles . measures , attain the

2.

IN

lines :

It

is

agreed

not to

oppose

the

deemed effective by the oppressed , aforementioned ideals .

The

donor declares

that

attempt

to

that

it

thwart the

does not attainment

support

to

any organisations

of these

through such organisations own direct action , support for or , co-operation with , the Government .

non -violent

in striving

ideals ,

either

or through its South African

49

3.

The donor declares

does not

it

that

support

directly or indirectly , by a government of the Republic of

controlled , by the or

projects

are

that

homeland government , This South Africa .

does not preclude recipient agencies from administering aid in areas controlled by such government bodies in times of natural disasters or other extraordinary events .

4 .

recipient The donor agrees that it makes funds available to order as organisations in to promote fundamental change one , or enunciated in paragraph in relation to projects activities mutually agreed to , without the donor exercising any control over such funds beyond the generally accepted reporting

.5 .

and

The donor agrees to use not the name information propaganda objectives

6.

accounting

itself to the principle that it recipient and organisation ,

may the

it receives through the recipient organisation purposes or for purposes not in accord with

for the

of the

of

commit of the

recipient

The donor agrees sponsors informed support

procedures .

people

to that or

organisation .

and . its keep its Board government al for the funds are made available the organisations

striving

to

bring

about

fundamental change as enunciated in paragraph 2 , and that as a consequence , many of the recipients are considered by the South African and homeland governments to be enemies of such existing security governments and are persecuted under or states

7.

of

emergency

regulations .

The donor agrees to information supplied

take reasonable measures to ensure to it by prospective recipients in

that the

course of making applications or submitting reports is not made accessible to agencies of the South African government , directly or

8.

In

the

indirectly .

event

conditions of South African further

funds

In rand terms Africa South million in into came projects at its showed alone .

that the

to

the

paragraphs 1 to 7 , it is recommended that organisation concerned decline to receive

any

from the

donor

is not

prepared

to

agree

donor .

about R42 million was channelled through the EEC channelling 1987 and the EEC budgeted for in

1988. South

One study Africa in

approved by the

the

estimates that a total of R400 to 1987 from various sources

SACC ,

SACBC and the

Kagiso

Trust .

to R70

million assist In

1988

Annual Conference the SACC tabled financial statements which that it had spent R21.8 million in the last financial year Only 1.1 % of it was spent on church mission work and

evangelism and 72 % was spent on providing grants and donations for purposes . non - religious During that same period it spent R1.1 million on its its own staff and over-budgeted for own departments ,.

The Youth Division was

allocated

R95

000 but

it

only

50

R73 000 and with previous spent money for this Division was then

the total unspent money , 455. The Women's Ministries

unspent R124

The Home and Family figure of R124 000 . for R80 000 set aside

only used R76 000 of its budget of R119 000. only R87 000 of its budget Division used Aid only spent Inter - Church R55 000 of the it . In spanned

hunger and relief R712 668 periods of drought , floods

show that despite for flood victims

this massive in Natal and

was and

surplus , KwaZulu .

left unused starvation . the

in

a year which The records

SACC only spent

R40

000

Of its total income the SACC used 43.6 % to fund its Asingeni Relief and its national emergency fund . Fund Both these funds operate secretly and are under the direct control of the SACC's GeneralSecretary ,

the

When

realised

it

is

Reverend

Frank

that

Chikane .

the Reverend

the ANC - backed UDF , one knows lie and what kind of projects

Chikane

is

vice - president

quite definitely where his he would select to assist .

of

sympathies Of course

it is easier to spend money where there is no accountability and it is not at all surprising to me that while departments of the SACC could not spend the money and showed the surpluses I mentioned the above , Asingeni Relief Fund overspent its budget by R525 028 and The

the national emergency Dependents Conference

money

exceeded

its

budget

fund overspent its budget by Division which also spends

by

a

massive

R1.9

R787 185 . political

million .

We have our own first - hand direct knowledge of the SACC at work in Africa . pursuing South We know that it is a massive machine for political objectives . We know also that the money that comes to it from the EEC and from various ecumenical donor agencies around the world is money that is given to the SACC dominantly to be used for The

political against SACC . To

purposes . apartheid .

the

uninformed

something is which

It

is

and

EEC

and

the

political

the

churches

money

misinformed

that

this

are they

funding are

amounts

a

fight

giving

to

the

doing

noble but when you take the kind of thinking into account Document reflected in the ' Proposed Policy to Guide

Recipients of Funds in South Africa ' not go to whoever fights apartheid . alliance UDF /ANC supporters . We

you know that this money does This money is to funnelled the know the who's who by

language they use . Take this sentence : " It is agreed not to oppose the non - violent measures , deemed effective by the oppressed , in striving to attain the aforementioned ideals . " Who other than Dr. Boesak , Archbshop Tutu , Dr. Beyers Naude and the Reverend Chikane effective would dare stand up and use the words " deemed by the oppressed " ?

What mechanisms does the SACC have or what mechanisms do Trust have of establishing what the " oppressed " think about anything ? It is not through its member churches SACC

is

informed

about

the

oppressed

and

its

feelings .

the Kagiso feel and that It is

the SACC

51

staff sitting behind their desks making personal choices judgements up with personal which informs the SACC

and coming about the

" oppressed " .

We

know ,

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable Members ,

that

this

is the

case .

There is no black church in the country that is not ambiguous about political tactics and strategies . There is no township , there is no neighbourhood in which there is not ambiguity . is There a raging battle for minds taking place amongst Black South Africans . There is point and counter - point ; there is debate , there are lies and there is distortion . There is no overall " voice of the oppressed " . There are only organisations claiming to speak on behalf of the rest of Black South Africa which make this claim without having the mechanisms to demonstrate the authenticity of what they

When Annual

say .

Inkatha General

has

a

card - carrying

Conference ,

when we

have

our

when we

have

our

Youth Conferences

and

membership ;

when we have our Women's Brigade Conferences , we are in a position effectively . establish the wishes of Black South Africa fairly also have our mass meetings . We We are in direct touch with the masses to It is our

provide the masses with mechanisms of making views known . informed opinion about the SACC and the Kagiso Trust that

makes me query their funding . I am informed by the people the SACC and the Trust to I have mechanisms of purport represent . establishing what the people's views are which they do not have . There masses

is not one person in the Kagiso Trust to represent them on that Trust .

who Not

is elected by one person ,

the Mr.

to

the as

Speaker .

There

is

not one

person

at

the

has been

SACC who

elected

They are all there by grass - root members of any church . SACC chosen by committees which in turn are chosen representatives

by They are twice , three times or more times removed from committees . person's any in the street who could vote yea or nay on man the

acceptability .

I have diverted somewhat ; I of the SACC and the Kagiso

have made an Trust simply

excursion into the funding to illustrate the point I

was making that vendettas against Inkatha are carried across uninformed and the ill - informed by people world to the who building up some kind of imagery which is worth money in the business of world

Mr.

Speaker ,

funding

for South African

Honourable

Members ,

of having to travel responsibility I go wish to do for myself . ever not only meet I Europe and West

I

the are big

projects .

have

a great deal regularly to wide a very

the

unfortunate

would more than I and North America of cross - section

but I am also questioned , and at times accosted , about the opinion I am well aware of prevailing perceptions South African situation . So South Africa and how in these perceptions black politics is little understood .

52

Those in South Africa who receive the most substantial backing do Europeans SO because they tell the story that West and North Americans most like to hear . They like to hear about the heroics of

struggle .

the

For them the

hideousness

of apartheid demands

a

particular brand of protest and when that protest whips up feelings and protest action spills over into violent action , then they hear spokesmen such as Archbishop Tutu when they is a new breed of young Blacks with iron in

say things like : their souls . "

" there

Boesak , Dr. Beyers Naude and the Reverend Frank Chikane paint of pictures of township heroes and heroines braving the onslaught the the system to proclaim their opposition to apartheid . high profile actions , the media - acclaimed actions and the actions which can be praised as the action of freedom fighters expressing to themselves in desperation rather than resorting premeditated Dr.

violence

that

catches

the

imagination .

what are who Those applaud they see as heroism today quite unmindful heroes of the Black People's that the Convention and Programmes Community Black by-gone are lost and forgotten in tactics

and

strategies

that

to

accumulate

gains

important

I

have

found

that

even

never worked . and

foreign

to

They

consolidate

ministries where

forget

that

it

is

followings .

specialist

Southern

African desks exist fall prey to the propaganda of the ANC , the UDF and COSATU . It is almost as though if these organisations did not exist they satisfy would have to be invented to some Western opinions .

look at real political power as we are doing here in this actually to power that the sober realisation you come work revolves around mobilising individuals and building them into also You capable of being sent out to achieve objectives . units that power is more than the ability to sustain hit - and - run realise

When

you

House ,

tactics which you start

come I expects

back again to the point the South African cookie

attitudes what

up afresh each time .

to the questions

tactics

and

strategies

ultimately that it is how one to crumble that determines basic

of what

objectives

should be

used

to

should be achieve

sought

and

them .

I remember SO well the excitement at Inkatha's birth and its emergence as the fastest growing black political organisation in the country . It gripped the imagination and people like Steve Biko offered to serve under me if I would abandon my position here in this House , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members . The ANC Mission in exile was excited and offered co - operation while they thought Inkatha could be used in the politics of confrontation regardless of whether or not or sooner .

this would

make

Inkatha

expendable

in

medium term

53

And then there was from the tried

the and

shock of trusted

realising that I would not deviate objectives of the struggle for

liberation . While others were pursuing new - fangled ideas in newlycreated organisations which were strange to black politics I continued with the tried and the tested and refused to change horses

in

midstream of the

Black

struggle

for

liberation .

You will remember that in the 1976-78 period we were being told by African Government Black Consciousness activists that the South You will months . would fall in the course of the following 18 remember how the whole world was agog with the believed news that South

Africa was being

turned

upside

down

and

that

apartheid would

gave go up in flames flames .. It was this spirit of false optimism which birth to slogans such as " liberation now , education later . " The were youth encouraged to think that the struggle for liberation would turn

out

to be a

hiccup

in their

educational

programmes .

It squandered the Black it robbed country's leadership potential but importantly , black political South Africans of the experience of building up programmes and sustaining what was being done on a step to step All

this

basis

cost

to

gains and

Black South Africa

ensure real

Even

today

what ,

say ,

that

the

so

struggle

very dearly .

would

not ' be

a yo - yo

of

pseudo

set - backs .

you cannot get a the UDF's political

sensible programme

answer to the question really is . You cannot

of see Protesting ,

where the UDF is actually attacking apartheid per se . embarrassing , yes ; may be obstructing , yes ; but it is protest , embarrassment and obstruction which could as equally be part of making opposition to apartheid a permanent way of life as it could be

part

of anything

else .

indignation when they are

These

hard

truths

create

incredulous

uttered .

Mr.

Speaker , Honourable Members , we in this House know that nobody is going to come and liberate South Africa for us and we know that

we

cannot

indulge

in the

luxury

of being

high profile

in our opposition to apartheid while we wait the day We know that the masses have to live each day and

flamboyants

of liberation . to they have

struggle within the circumstances of their daily living . revolutions begin the know that hard , grinding even

We also work of Above organising people and building up organisational strength . we know all that if we are going to do more than survive this interim period during the certain demise of apartheid and its final building eradication , and actually get on with the job of power bases which will be apartheid where

useful

apartheid

in the can be

future ,

we

have

to

start

engaging

engaged .

We

too would act differently if we had grand visions of marching over revolutionaries taking a government and setting a new up society . That kind thing which could be of attempted the in of smaller - scale societies Angola , is Mocambique and Zimbabwe building unrealis totally here . The power bases we are tic are

power

which will

bases

consolidate

it

enable

tomorrow and

us

employ

to gather it

the next

our day .

strength

today ,

54

Unfortunately SO the outside world basically see the ANC Mission in exile's judgement that the politics of negotiation will never achieve anything worthwhile in South Africa justified . They come to negative conclusions primarily because it is eyes of all on Pretoria and all Pretoria watchers recalcitrance

and

an obdurant

government

that

is

not

internal and external pressure . They do not look at other than the politics which protests against white

The

kind of work that

Honourable

Members ,

we

are

doing

in

is downgraded

in

responding

the

have

recently

had

again

to

remind

the

American

Speaker ,

Mr.

climate

that

the UDF and COSATU merrily go about their way upstaging the outside world is looking at the wrong things in this

I

to

black politics recalcitrance .

House ,

this

and

a matter see is

exists

us because country .

government

that

its aid programmes to South Africa need re - examining . I would like to read into the record the Memorandum I presented to the American Ambassador , Mr. Edmund Perkins on the 17th January this year in

Ulundi .

MEMORANDUM

FOR DISCUSSION WITH H.E. MR . E. PERKINS , AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH AFRICA

UNITED

STATES

BY MANGOSUTHU G. BUTHELEZI , CHIEF MINISTER OF KWAZULU AND PRESIDENT OF INKATHA ULUNDI . 17TH JANUARY 1989

I

am very pleased to have this opportunity of comparing and conveying to you some of my deeper concerns you South African struggle for liberation and the role of States in the

background

of that

notes with about the the United

struggle .

have come to Ulundi to see me is not gratifying of your people as roles playing prominence as yours It is gratifying important to be at my beck and call . because it indicates your personal interest in going to find out a Your coming here is also the facts of the matter for yourself .

fact that you The because expect I

recognition we

are

this

that

playing

in

the

has

place

to be

South African

visited

struggle

because cannot

be

the

role

that

ignored .

I have in recent months , Mr. Ambassador , been feeling that there is something not quite right about the way in which the United States attempting to assist in the South African struggle . You will is undoubtedly critical have been informed that I have been somewhat of the kind of commitment and the kind of action the United States is

taking

I

must

with regard to the

say at the outset

of

South African

any

further

problem .

remarks

that

I

really

do

edge congratulate President Reagan and his Shultz / Crocker cutting Southern African diplomacy . in I have always said that you can call " constructive rose engagement " by any name you will that a remains by a rose The any United name . States has been constructive

in

the

Angola / Namibia / SWAPO/ ANC /MPLA and

UNITA

tangle .

55

from what I see as a Chester Crocker stint emerged What of promises to be good for the whole labour diplomatic Africa . It has a sanity about it which rings true . I make the point is beginning to

that

the

diplomacy

at

that

Southern

hard of Southern

African

level

mean something because it actually affects people of tens of on the ground . We are talking about the movement thousands of troops ; we are talking about cessation of the kind of hostilities which laid bare the ground before it . We are talking leaders about negotiations which took nations into account , took account , into economics into politics

took political organisations account and did so in order

of what

ought

into account , to thrash out

took the

to be .

I

remark that the accord which is now so very nearly a fact emerged · in a situation in which quite clearly nobody was going to win any battles if the accord was a step out of a stalemate situation in which force and counter - force and insurgency and counter - insurgency rocked back and forth achieving nothing other than the destruction of the

In

prospects

South Africa

of life

around

is no

there

everybody .

situation .

stalemate

There is not a There is recognition on any side that the battle cannot be won . peace . suing for said - nobody to have often I what repeat and sight ions of out ype quite are House r negotiat -t Lancaste South for ions sight of out are quite type negotiat Angola / Namibia

Mr. Ambassador , I believe it is vitally Africa . the need to separate the kind of understand all that the United States played in the Angola role the micro The

role

ability

should one

it

should be

of the

day be

United

States

playing when the

will depend on what the is just not possible .

United It is

South

in

playing

to

play

time

is

important that we macro political and situation

Africa

the

macro

ripe

today . role which

for it to

play

States does now when that macro role a wan hope that history will work in

South and Southern Africa in such a way that all the United to will has do is to wait and its time to act decisively That

time

will never

come

it it ,

unless

the

right

thing

is done

come .

now .

There is much that needs to be done now and in broad terms much of what needs to be done now is to balance the influences which work victory the armed to make struggle legitimate and a violent inevitable . There has been an imbalance of inputs into the South pour African situation as the USSR and the whole socialist bloc killing . dollars into training and millions of for warfare Millions more are poured into creating the kind of circumstances in which those who support violence inside South Africa are provided moral with the maximum national and international financial and support . Whether we are talking about the USSR money and materials , or we are talking about the USSR's diplomatic assistance ; or whether we are

talking

about

the

millions that

international

ecumenical bodies

and church groupings pour into efforts by organisations such as the UDF , COSATU and the SACC to promote the ANC , we are talking about

56

the United

States government

reasons

why

fault in me , you

refusing to back groupings are a politician leading

cannot help you . The I do in South Africa .

To your somewhat

delicately jarring .

else to put I fight on with fight can

attuned I

do

not

like Inkatha . a political

Department

actually

diplomatic mean

rather

to be

strangely

No , they say to we organisation , throws

ears

at

that

jarring .

I

mud

on what

sound might don't know how

it . I fight a comprehensive battle against apartheid . chosen every possible front I can fight and I have to sense of pragmatism which attempts to do that which

in fact be that what

show

State

is

sick and tired why one should

done . There always has been should be done can be done .

a desperate A long time

to

need ago I

got

done

and

of excuses why what should be done can't be start killing for political purposes .

I oppose reality

apartheid every day of my life and I am astounded that all decrees that when I go to the United States I have to go prepared to defend not only my right to do what I am doing , but to defend the what I am prospects of doing ever succeeding . I actually have to defend myself against attacks from eminent and from high quarters in the United States . The absurdity situation must now actually be looked at . South

Africa

is

not

armed

struggle ,

or

another

Angola ,

perhaps

more

Mocambique correctly

or

the

people of this

The

Zimbabwe . so - called

armed

struggle , has endured now since the early 1960's . It has been going on for a quarter of a century of attempting to win by war . Every effort was supported by massive international aid . The best advice that Moscow , Havana , Hanoi and other places could give was given for this

mere

quarter of

a

century .

The

most

provided ; arms and ammunition were provided and was provided by neighbouring and other African and

today

entirely

It

was

the

infrastructure

intact quite

and

clear

type victory deliberately

to

me

one

it ought

in all

its

entirety

a

of

a

is

normally .

by the

1970's

that

hope

Frelimo-

therefore South Africa could be discounted . I myself the task of establishing a non - violent What I did , apartheid . I did with deliberation .

What I did did not result do what I could to become say what should be done

think

training was

operational support States . All this

in set

front to oppose

whether

of South Africa

functioning

updated

was popular to be

or another

done

from scrambling somehow amongst others to important . I have always had the guts to do , thing because it is the correct to or not .

in

I

order to

have gain

not watered down acclaim or

curry

what

I

favour in

quarter .

I oppose apartheid here in Ulundi and I am castigated for doing so by scores of high - ranking Americans and I am shunned by officials comes to any practical aid in of the State Department when it to opposition apartheid . As a about eradicating apartheid will

pragmatist I know that determine the kind of

how we future

go we

are going to have . Above all else , I know that I will fail in all unless I ensure that they my major objectives are achieved by ordinary give people . I rely on ordinary people . I them a

57

democratic organisation . I take my instructions people's organisation in which the people elect choice to

pursue

Because

am people - orientated

I

to struggle . nothing and

objectives

politics .

I

in Ulundi ;

so

am aware

that

people

have

Beyond all other knowledge , struggle in South Africa will

here

to

live

there is the only produce

cycle of revolution and counter - revolution . thinking tells me that I must continue

constituency do

I

choice .

I know that it is those who have nothing to hope for or to live for who can be most dragooned persuaded

into the armed struggle . knowledge that an armed an endless orientated

of their

from Inkatha as a their leaders of

I do

Legislative Assembly . developing constituency

so

in

Inkatha ;

I do

so

in

My peopledeveloping

the

KwaZulu

For years I have been working very hard in support across all racial divisions .

only have to oppose the grand design of apartheid here in Ulundi by blocking a continuing concerted effort by Pretoria to make us walk the Transkei , Bophuthatswana , Venda , Ciskei route , but I have also to daily do battle wherever battle can be done to gain what can be gained by opposing apartheid at every practical level . This means that there are dozens and dozens of issues with which I have to grapple

every

Amongst done

day .

things

other to

is done

bring

I the

do

is to

ensure

that

ordinary black man

be

the best

that

can

and woman

ever

further

of into the central cash economy to give them an ever fairer share I struggle here at Ulundi for greater their slice of the fiscus . allocations for this at essential services and I ally what I do level with doing what can be done to develop small black businesses grows only and to ensure that the informal sector of KwaZulu not and businessmen that individual a way such in but grows businesswoman

can

move

this For Corporation liberation .

I

development

in this

to

into the

the established what it is be

formal

economic

KwaZulu today .

sector .

Finance

It

is

and

an

Investment instrument of

Mr. Ambassador , your government under President Yet , listed was dominated by the forces which led the KFC to be Reagan a This surely is as parastatal organisation in South Africa . a mad . mad . It is surely like the American world gone world gone KFC How can anybody by any stretch of the imagination say that the supporting of instrument It is no more than an apartheid ? is part

of South

Africa .

I could talk at length about numerous small issues . today , I am however , confining myself to the broad sweep of my concerns about the United States ' involvement in South Africa . I share with you the bewilderment of one who watches probably one of the most successful Presidents this century has seen in the United States being opposed and hamstrung by what really amounts to the backroom and boys girls of American politics . Is this really American

gleeful democracy at work when Democrats fight Republicans and are when in doing so they embarrass the President of the United States in South and as he attempts to discharge American obligations Southern

Africa .

58

The whole vendetta the merits of his constructive of

against President Reagan had nothing to do with constructive engagement policy . Opposition to

engagement

policy was

President - bashing .

The

President - bashing

President - bashers

of the

for the United

States

did not stop in opposing constructive engagement . They worked behind the scenes in a miriad of committees which excel in American back- scratching as Democrats lined up Democrat support and attempted

to

make

inroads

into

Republican

I can say all this , Mr. Ambassador , that you know I believe that the democracy leading and that my own Africa

is

dictated

to

me by the

solidarity .

and I can say United States

it freely because is the world's

dream for South and Southern common history of prudence and

sense which fashioned the Great American Dream . I share so much in common with the best that there is in American thinking about democracy . I am not an American - basher . I speak to you as a of help friend and I speak as one who has had legitimate hopes which has I

not been

am aware

that

forthcoming .

you ,

Sir ,

and

particularly your

Consuls - General

and

your Consular staff , will say that America never involves itself in You and your staff direct support for any political organisation . the in the United States will not interfere that maintain must friendly a as affairs of South Africa which is regarded internal country . I

hear you

people

saying

these

things

and

I

listen

attentively .

I

hope you will listen attentively and hear me say that I just do not direct believe all this talk about why Inkatha cannot be given support by the State Department . There are dozens of humanitarian supported which could be and should be projects in KwaZulu only Not as supported . do we not get support a political organisation , but the humanitarian , projects which take Inkatha's encouragement and under KwaZulu's guidance ,

place under are denied

support . Mr. Ambassador , I say times just not heard .

some things that It is important

are for

important which are the United States

at to

understand that I am not a by - product of chance circumstances and I have simply squeezed myself into the South African political this is possible . been scene where My approach has much more Where was there not a mass positive and indeed creative .

democratic organisation in South Africa in the 1970's , establishing a membership - based organisation . I deliberately moved in to take charge of the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly to turn the Assembly and its procedures into a battleground for the elimination of apartheid . I deliberately have worked hard at establishing Black , Indian White , and Coloured constituency support . I have deliberately gone own in which I my and same My

about establishing a multi - strategy approach of can serve the interests of individuals , groups

communities time we choice

to the extent that they struggle against apartheid .

to

return

to

KwaZulu and to

can be

take

served

up

my

while

at the

hereditary

consultation . chieftainship was a deliberate choice after a am not here doing what I am doing because somehow things turned

59

out the

I am not trapped by have chosen to serve .

like that . I options

because I many by to comes built up

circumstances and these emphasise

any I

I

serve things

am criticised as a victim of the system and I am regarded time the When as having been swallowed by the system . I because so do to able be vely will I move definiti mass backing which would permit me to make the moves that me

the people want

to

me

they want

make when

to

make

them .

am I first . owned by no ideological masters . I do not bow and scrape to gain the kind of public applause which celebrity and leaders selfappointed leaders so more thrive been on . I have probably my consistent in commitment to ideals and more consistent in employing the means most appropriate to achieve the ideals I have set myself . I do not chop and change and I am no fly-by -night not leader . is This a song of self - esteem . It simply is a preparatory statement made before I ask the question : now "What needs to be done before you , Mr. Ambassador , and I can stand and say this is what we are doing together with the backing of the I

have

United

in

fact

States

paid

dearly

for

putting

the

people

Government ? "

It is vitally important that we continue making our voice heard and that we continue with every effort to make Americans and Europeans understand the South African situation better . It is so tragic that in conveying the realities of this country we have fight our way past people like Dr. Allan Boesak who has become one of the arch exponents of the brand of black politics which thrashes about in desperation because they too see no hope . I never cease to be astounded by this man . In January this year he was again at the United States addressing a conference of the leaders of black

churches

Quite

representing

unbelievably

he

19

backed

million

his

African

calls

for

it in seven

Americans .

stronger

sanctions

against

South Africa by saying that it was sanctions that brought about the Namibian / Angolan settlement . Archbishop Tutu said : " One of the clearest results of the sanctions that have been put in place is what we see now in the peace process in Angola . " I could not my believe eyes when I read these words . He said : " The pressure of sanctions forced them [ the South African Government ] to the negotiating table " and he stressed " If that is true for Angola and Namibia it must also be true for South Africa . "

He go

said there were to negotiation

three basic reasons for on the Namibian /Angolan

South Africa agreeing to issue . Firstly he said

there was joint pressure for the first time from the United States , costs the Soviet Union and the United Nations . Secondly he said maintaining of and a military presence in Namibia Angola were escalating ,

and

thirdly

growth of the South African the government's ability because

of Western

he said

that

there was a

slowing

of

the in

economy with a consequent reduction military to pay for increased costs

sanctions .

60

" If we would have the sanctions we Archbishop Tutu went on to say : It could had asked for disinvestment would not even be necessary . He change the situation quite dramatically in a very short time . South to the West to cut oil supplies and air links with appealed South African asked that the financial burden on the and Africa all of repayment the for calling by increased be economy debts .

outstanding

Dr. Boesak apartheid in

feeds

the negative views of democratic opposition to country . At the press conference which closed this conference of black Ministers , he said that after the banning of every major anti - apartheid organisation and the recent verdict in the Africa

this

Delmas trial " There is nothing that we can do now in South in any non - violent way that you in the United States of

America would the

regard

possibility

as

a basic normal

of people

being

constitutional

charged with

treason

right without and

jailed . "

Last year a delegation representing the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops went Conference and the South African Council of Churches to Europe to lobby European churches and governments . They called for :

First ,

in the

European

diplomatic

missions

in

sphere ,

South

we

propose

Africa

the

following ;

be

should

reduced

and

1 downgraded ;

Visa 1

requirements

visiting I

The be

the

EEC

staff of

South Africa's

significantly

Second ,

should

on

Embassies

South

import

of South African

1

from

loans and no new lending

finance

should be granted ;

South Africa

renewing

coal ;

stopped

to

of

intensified ;

embargo the

flights

should

lines

and

should be

Direct

Africans

Consulates

and

finance

trade ,

should be

Europe's banks

for

reduced .

pressures

communications

Europe

be tightened

should

countries ;

should

end :

South

South

Africa's

African

Airways should be denied landing rights in Europe and European Airlines should be obliged to fly to neighbouring states in Southern

They

made

Economic

Africa .

this

Community

call

in

May

adopted a

1988

and

resolution

in

July

in which

1988 it :

the

European

61

Recalls

its

resolution

of

10 July

1986 adopted

majority broad which called on the Member economic sanctions and to ban :

(a ) (b)

States

by to

very

a

impose

imports of coal from South Africa ; new loans to the South African Government ;

( c ) new

IMF

loans

to

the

South African

Government ;

( d ) imports of farm produce from South Africa ; ( e ) imports of mineral products ; and also calls for : ( f ) the suspension of air links with South Africa ; downgrading States ; ( g ) the of the Member diplomatic representation

I went

Wherever

in

in

Pretoria

I

the world

of countering responsibility are making . South Africans

to

found

the

that

lowest

I

could

level

possible ;

escape

not

the

the call for disinvestment which some disinvestment the went Wherever I

question was a contentious political issue in the local politics of total is country found no place where there I concerned . the can One safely tment ty . solidari either for or against disinves say that as a general rule it is the opposition parties to ruling and parties in Europe and North America which drag disinvestment in their local political arenas as they try to score apartheid points

off the

party

in

power .

party , whether it is the opposition are divided party there power , in it is the whether or party rages still disinvestment debate Those The opinions . on . disinvestment the for actually more campaign for campaigning I

also

found

viewpoints than them campaign

that within

every

of donor countries and non - governmental organisations in they if even they campaign for Black South Africans

in the

name

of

Black South Africans .

American voice in West European and North protest up the national issues of the different countries takes to with issues from around the world them mixes and

The

countries concerned a create

Further a kind repetoire of criticism of the government in power . It is embarrassing to ask of back - scratching exercise is involved . agreement opposition parties and groupings to take action based on for campaigning Blacks day . the of government their with opposition disinvestment must paint themselves as kith and kin of no matter how much they distort groupings in order to do so .

South African

realities

When I go abroad and unashamedly speak the truth and tell the world what the world needs to know rather than what it wants to know , I lose friends . But Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I am not in political business to be popular either at home or abroad . I am in politics a great tell

to serve the people and to do what is right . many friends in Europe and America because I

them they are woefully wrong

and

are

damaging

our

I have lost have had to cause .

62

As

onerous

as the

is necessary various the

amount

of

travelling

and I believe , trips I have

Mr. done

advantages which will become

I

have

Speaker ,, over the

ever more

to

do

is ,

really

it

Honourable Members , that years have accumulated

relevant

as

time

passes .

will You remember that towards the end of the Assembly Session in June last year , I had to go to Portugal to present a paper to a and conference organised by the Institute of Political Studies with while I was there I had the opportunity to have discussions the

President

of

Portugal

Dr.

Mario

Soares

and

the

Prime

Minister

Dr. Cavaco e Silva . I also had discussions with Dr. F. Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party , Mr. Dias

do Amaral Loureiro

Secretary - General of the Social Soares of the Socialist Party .

Mr. Joao political

leaders Foreign for

I

Democratic Party and In addition to these

I had rounds of discussions with the Secretary of State for Affair Dr. Durao Barroso , the Parliamentarian Commission

Foreign

Affairs .

had therefore

the

opportunity

in

meeting

with

important

leaders

and opinion - makers to present a balanced picture of South Africa in black which politics was alive , working and campaigning against apartheid putting

in

the

the

sure

message

knowledge

across

that

of

success .

there was

a

lot

I

concentrated

that

was being

on done

and could yet be done to oppose apartheid and to bring about a order of things through non - violent means . Inevitably the question of disinvestment came up again and again and it was against the background of what disinvestment that

I was saying was against

that I could argue rather the interests of Blacks

cogently this in

country .

I

have

no doubt whatsoever

that

my visit

helped

consolidate

the

sensible position that the Portuguese had always adopted at EEC level . They understand the message that the destruction of the no South African economy would be criminal and that political The Portuguese motivation for doing so could be acceptable . know Mocambique and they and Angola now have to deal with the of consequences important that outside world . had never been

In

I

broken economies in liberated countries . carry the message of Black South Africa

Going to Portugal was there before .

breaking

new ground

It

is the

because

I

July

last year Mrs. Margaret Thatcher the Prime Minister of Great Britain asked me to come to London and brief her on the South African situation . Mrs. Thatcher is emerging as one of the world beaters when it comes to political leadership . has , She as a friend put it , " done all her domestic work " and is now turning more she and more attention to the international situation . Each year has unrealistic demands face to she at Commonwealth meetings and attends she what takes the trouble to inform herself on actually

is

taking

place

in

South Africa

before

she does

so .

63

This was the second occasion on which I have had the opportunity of briefing her on South Africa and as always I found her informed and upright right in her moral commitment to do what is for South Africans

rather than what

is

expedient

in

international

politics .

Again I had the opportunity of presenting a picture of South Africa in which black politics was alive and working for the kind of reform whole world is hoping that the for . I presented Mrs. Thatcher with a plan of action and I think it is important for Members to know what I am saying on behalf of Black South and , Mr. what Speaker , tell the world my colleagues I

Africans in the

KwaZulu Legislative Assembly are thinking and doing . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I would like to read an from extract the document

I

presented

to Mrs.

Thatcher .

theory a - and by historical precedent as well - there comes " In vulnerable point where the national systems and structures become this of interests to extent that they are dependent on the the It upwardly mobile group . will opt for negotiating a in

control

exchange

is then likely that the forces in power relinquish future system in which they

for being

" player "

allowed

status

Otherwise the forces in power will arrive at a system . are rendered ineffective by logistics and are in they being To

altogether

translate

point where of danger

theories

these

into

plan

a

of action requires These may addressed . drawn plan of action

objectives .

A suggested

list

of

objectives :

a) b) c)

Economic upliftment of Blacks . Greatly increased educational opportunities Promotion of the black family model .

d) e) f) g)

Social integration of all South Africa's race A redistribution of wealth . The elimination of racial discrimination . Stimulation of job creation .

h) i) j ) k)

Elimination of the exploitation Protests against apartheid .

To

new

undermined .

identification of the issues which need to be then be listed as objectives and a feasible for the

in the

of

for

Blacks .

groups .

labour .

Enhancement of the The encouragement

quality of life for Blacks . of industrial decentralisation

economic growth in

rural

achieve

these

to

stimulate

communities .

objectives ,

two

plans

of

action

the

stated

could

be

considered . We

need

a

plan

of action which addresses

all

objectives

policy in feasible terms and takes into account the likely foreign the principles countries which would wish to support of actions economic It also considers the likely in such a plan . contained It considers practicalities on the entire sub - continent . effects likely the regarding control , the mechanics of implementation , probable of the South African Government and the plan's attitudes local and major players such as foreign other to acceptability business .

64

The Conditional benefit to all

Strategy offers Trade / Investment including major participants the

substantial

currently

disadvantaged peoples of South Africa , overseas investors , foreign governments , the South African business community and , indeed , all the peoples of sub - Saharan Africa . Conditional

Trade /Investment

prescribed

for

action

firms

all

operating in South Africa ( foreign and local ) , requiring them to accept certain practices which , if accepted on a large scale , should provide the driving force behind the desired transition of society . Code in

Conditional Trade / Investment content and in implication -

goes far beyond the Sullivan though there are conceptual

parallels . Finer

details

maximum effect

of the can

be

plan are

open

achieved .

to

The

further debate

Strategy ,

as

as

to

how

itemised , should

therefore be seen in a broad context with the emphasis on its value further as a viable , integrated and solid strategy which , with imaginative Outline a)

of

input ,

could be brought

Conditional

to

fruition .

Trade / Investment

Commitments

Education :

( i)

•

Employers to offer literacy and basic skills programmes to all black employees . This addresses the need of those generations who , through lack of find themselves disadvantaged .

( ii )

Employers

to

run

modern world

basic

formal

orientation

education ,

and their families . This could be by on such topics as : How to use the system/how to plan personal finances / personal care / the importance unions ... etc

( iii )

the

corporate Employers selection

b)

Economic ( i)

service .

Employers to introduce strategic view to promotion of black skills and

(v)

role of the

video legal health trade

Employers to offer subsidised education to a certain number of children ( two , for the sake of argument ) of every black employee with more than a stipulated minimum period of

( iv )

of education / the

for

education

employees showings

integration

of

Blacks

in

a staff training with floor on the factory the

upper

strata

of the

hierarchy . to

offer university / college

of deserving

black

bursaries

to

a

individuals .

upliftment :

Employers work .

to

pay

all

employees

equal wages

for

comparable

65

( ii )

( iii )

Employers

to at least levels workers , for industrial labour .

Employers to incentive

( iv )

c)

Employee (i)

( iii )

Employers to

encourage

and

to Employers interaction .

( i)

( ii )

Employers

to

to -

mixing

by

insist

on

courtesy

initiating

social

staff .

codes

employee

all

in

constructive

a

labour

advance

labour

union

interests .

of

comply with predetermined especially

on the

factory

races

in

any

part

conditions at

the

floor .

Transport : to

commuting

take

sympathetic action

difficulties

experienced by

in many

respect

of

the

employees .

Housing : Employers

to

introduce

employees with their g)

racial

activities among

Employers to enforce non - segregation of the working environment .

Employers

f)

that

conditions :

workplace

e)

criteria

stringent

sports

encourage

to

Employers

Working

to

con form

relations :

involvement ,

d)

initiative - linked

retrenchment .

gatherings ( ii )

those

schemes .

to

Employers

minimum wage classified as

predetermined

especially

consider productivity and

pay

discourage

meet

Health (i)

( ii )

( iii )

revolving

housing

loan

schemes

to

assist

requirements .

: Employers

to

employees

and

Employers

to

offer a their

regular

medical

Employers

to

facility

to

black

families .

encourage

established

clinic

aid

provide

black scheme .

employees

disability - type

to

join

insurance

an

for

employees .

h)

Social

: Employers

to

facilities the youth .

in black townships

join together

in sponsoring - especially

social / sports facilities for

66

i)

Redistribution ( i)

( ii )

Firms

of wealth : to do

business wherever possible with

businessmen ,

including

the

Employers to

negotiate

share

informal

small

black

sector .

ownership

schemes

for

black

employees . ( iii )

Many

of

the

practices

redistribution Blacks .

j )

Job

firm's

above

profits

amount

for the

to

a

upgrading

of

creation / protection :

(i)

( ii )

See

i

(i)

Major

above .

( iii )

to

firms

processes

franchising

consider the

of

Firms rural

Political

( i )

to

Employers rescind

( ii )

consider

industrial

change

the

employment

development

of venture

new ventures rationalising

capital

in

programmes .

policy :

to bring

apartheid

Employers democracy

production

black entrepreneurs .

to

Employers to use excess profits to create instead of buying out competing firms and activities at the cost of jobs .

( iv )

k)

of the

mentioned

pressure

to bear

on

the

Government to

legislation .

to encourage the full ' based on

toward Government to work a participation by all South

Africans .

The

above

suggestions

have

implications

for

the

earnings

of

employer firms . They are asked to forfeit a percentage of profits meet the financial requirements to of implementing these principles . Certain protagonists Disinvestment of might be motivated morality by and others because it offers a

altruism . The plan might appeal to stable environment in which they can continue to operate profitably . However the plan's success would depend on the number of subscribers . It clearly requires additional incentives course which make it the natural for the business community subscribe - and perhaps to disincentives to resisting

subscription .

Suggestions

include :

A ( i)

Foreign

companies

in

South Africa

to Subscribers have the blessing and their own governments and be granted a advantage .

of encouragement trade of degree

67

Subscribers

( ii )

from their

B

-

are

allowed

foreign

parent

to

receive

investment

further

companies .

companies :

Local

( i )

Foreign

governments

products merits .

of

open their

subscribers ,

internal

where they

markets

compete

to

the

on their own

Foreign

( ii )

to subscribers governments allow locally - based import the latest technology and expertise . Previously embargoed raw are materials also made available to

subscribing ( iii )

companies .

International business

( iv )

are

opened

educational opportunities interests / governments to

families )

of

subscribing

restrictions

respect

are made staff

available by their ( and

companies .

against

of subscribing

participation

to

companies .

Advanced foreign

Other

( v)

forums

subscribing

staff of

by the

South Africans

firms

and their

are

lifted

in

staff members .

disadvantaged firms Non - subscribing consumer are by resistance , dissatisfaction staff and ostracism by

( vi )

subscribing

It

is

unlikely

intervene

that

against

a)

It does not

b)

Its

the

its

against

Government's

own

the

South

African

sanctions

and

disinvestment

is

close

to

position .

It as

the

free

market

d)

Reduction of poverty would in the black townships .

have

a

e)

The

stimulate

stimulation

would

authority .

c)

serves to a whole .

Government

Strategy because :

challenge

position

the

Government :

South African

of the

Attitude

firms .

of trade

would

and benefit

positive

favour

effect

the

on

South Africa's

economy

problems

balance

of payments . Implementation

A

body would

and

have

control :

to

be

established

to

evaluate

applications

for

subscription to the plan and equate the practices profitability firm's and resources - the degree meet its formulas . practices such as :

requirements . Monitoring could be

Experts would of individual

undertaken

have to firms '

by any one

to the particular to which it can devise appropriate adherence to the

of various

organisations

68

A specially constituted " watchdog " body ; * The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants ; * Specially trained Other possible

shop

advantages :

beginnings

of

a

African society , with the integration the ending of racial estrangement .

of

cultural

The

process

could be the

There would be continent of had The

or

stewards .

future

integrated value

South

systems and

immense implications for all the states of the subbe Southern Africa where there are such benefits to

from co - operation . plan

positive negative

offers

foreign

countries the opportunity to make a the foreign policy input to South Africa - as opposed to input being urged on them by the sanctions / disinvestment

lobby .

advantages the would to economic be decided also There community democratic a in South Africa achieving international liberation without the destruction of the economy . The

plan outlined

economic

strays

minefields

and

into

a number

is open

to

of

various

social

political ,

It

criticisms .

emphasised therefore that the objectives and fundamental are intended simply to offer a framework for a viable plan of action to disinvestment / sanctions . Debate "1 encouraged , as should further development of the plan .

and

must

be

principles alternate be should

Mr.

Speaker , Honourable Members , you will remember that I reported Assembly to the on the proposed plan of action I presented to Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth and Non -Aligned countries . void dealing In with foreign governments I have always to fill a

which

is

created by the

political

demands

of protest

politicians .

They want no outside involvement in South Africa because they basically aiming to make South Africa ungovernable . They want the Africa , to isolate outside world boycott South our country economically , socially and politically . They always tell the outside world what can do in it .

It

is

roles

left

Thatcher , I power bases

can

do

to

South Africa

show the world

to me to played .

to be

they

In

presenting

that

the

bridge the gap in the broad in this country which are

and not

there

ideas terms going

I

are did

what

constructive

present

I used . to have

they

to Mrs.

If we build lasting a

utility to the politics of non - violent change , we will be providing avenues of practical engagement for all nations of goodwill towards Fertile Africa . South South African politics creates fertile for world opportunities wide - ranging action in which the outside can

play

a

constructive

role .

69

It

is

total

blindness

to

reality not

to

see

that

international

at virtually a Marshall Aid level will be needed to make work really and the economy really productive

aid

democracy after a

country . representative government has been established in this The great industrialised nations in the Western world should , I be think , engaged in assisting us bring about really meaningful change because we will be asking them to assist in making democracy work in what really is the foreseeable future .

We really do have a lot of work to do on this front . I raised this very question with Mr. C. J. Heunis the Minister of Constitutional Development and Planning when we met in January this year to talk about from

a joint statement . South African the

I taxed him with the lack of any response Government on the suggestions I made had

over the years respond then .

on what foreign countries ought to do . He did not Mr. On the 20th February , Heunis wrote to me in He did not say very response to the questions I raised in January . much in the few lines he wrote to me . Interestingly he said : "I cannot

associate myself with , and I strongly take exception to , fundamental theme that the State President , by name , is the your address the more enemy ; so when this theme is used in an in a on foreign country to a gathering of foreign ministers . " He went to say :

" About your call on Commonwealth countries to get involved in South Africa's internal situation and for the reconstitution am I EPG and a secretarial presence in South Africa , of the afraid that I cannot support you . Government is of the opinion that political progress in My South Africa can only result from negotiations between South Africans inside South Africa . The responsibility to take part in the process lies squarely on the shoulders of South African leaders themselves . Whatever obstacles there may be , should be

addressed

established The bona will

amongst

is

an

ourselves . effort in this

overwhelmingly foreign can be

affairs goodwill Diplomatic

motivated by own

have

diplomats

sure

that

get

our

ought

only our

to be able own

to

involved

interests

do

interests are

without being

and altruism play endeavours are

interests .

will only be upheld as far as they of the powers represented .

We

committee we

accept their I EPG was born out of a sanctions debate . there , involved get countries foreign fides but whenever are they interests whose about a wariness be always

In international pursuing . role . insignificant an

When you

The joint direction .

my

business ,

( South Africa's

interests )

in your

and

coincide with the

them and

negotiated . "

thus

interests

ensure

that

70

Speaker , Mr. realise just and

Members , Honourable I so despair sometimes when how far we have to go before we can actually sit down

talk to white

things Africa world .

political leaders who are now in Government about that really matter . Does Mr. Heunis really think that South can paddle its own little canoe in the turbulent seas of the If you are a White living in a suburb with a secure job , a

pension scheme and medical find the prospect of unacceptable .

health scheme , you will foreign aid coming to

You will want

to buy what

naturally more South Africa

aid you need .

If on

other hand , you are a black man living in a shanty town or a destitute rural area , and you know that your lot will not and the lot of your children after you will not change will think very differently you will want the aid .

the

remote change

either ,

you

If you are a white Cabinet Minister who has been part of a system which keeps the majority of Blacks at bay and which plans to enforcing continue Group a Areas Act , you will also be more inclined to involvement eschew idea of foreign the in South Africa's domestic affairs . When , however , you are a leader like me who leads the destitute in the squatter areas and the rural areas , you have a different perspective . You know that only massive and massive involvement in the domestic affairs of South Africa enable will a government you will one day be in to succeed as it attempts to make democracy meaningful to people daily in their lives .

Somehow feel at to end

we must strive to take white leaders and teach them how to home in the medium of tomorrow's politics . I do not want white situation where I laugh my up in doing what

colleagues in a that we need to we will

have

Cabinet struggle to do . It is the kind of politics talk about as well as the kind of institutions that to develop .

When

I saw Mrs. Thatcher in London in July last year , the opportunity of meeting with Mrs. Lynda Chalker , State She in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office .

had I also Minister of deals with

European and Commonwealth governments who support sanctions against South Africa I was pleased to have the opportunity some in I small way of giving her a better perspective of South Africa . is argued that South Africa was not beyond redemption and while it true that apartheid itself cannot be reformed , White South Africans can reform away from apartheid . I assured her that there were rising groundswell demands for the normalisation of South Africa as Western - type industrial democracy . That is the message a modern , try that revolutionaries and confrontationist protest politicians so

hard to

In

August

black

kill .

last

year I went

to the

Simmons of Cleveland , Americans and address them .

which showed the accumulative times I travel abroad . many

United

States

at the

invitation

Ohio who wanted me to speak to It was one of those situations

gains I mentioned earlier from the It was my previous trips to Britain

71

which brief

finally her on

States that brief him . gave

rise

led

to the British Prime Minister South Africa and my previous trips

inviting to

me

the

to

United

resulted

to

in President Reagan inviting me to see him and which It was my previous trips to the United States this black American invitation from Mr. Simmons .

I accepted the invitation misgivings because it is protest formulae or country . that in

with a mixture of in black American

gladness

and

politics

that

some the

model arose in the black Civil Rights struggle Congressmen Congressmen like Fauntroy , the

Reverend

Jesse Jackson and others get all excited about protest politics in South Africa because they believe we should be doing what black Americans did in their struggle . They are proud of what they did and think it would be good if we did the same . It does not make you very popular amongst them to tell them that their struggle suited their circumstances but not does suit our circumstances . is It particularly difficult when others go in front of you to pat Americans on the back on a South African search for money and acclaim . Every time I go to the United States I face the consequences of the campaigning of Dr. Archbishop , Boesak and Tutu . My trip to Cleveland in Ohio to address black Americans was therefore important .

Inevitably also I got drawn into the sanctions debate and I had to because are controversial that sanctions Americans black tell of consequence or against them have taken sides as a for people political is there where and convictions political their to bound also things is there other controversy about be South I again painted a picture of controversy about sanctions . which Africa mustered .

Later

in

address

will be transformed by democratic

August to

last year

I

travelled

to

forces

Austria

to

being

now

deliver

an

the

Alpbach European Forum where I read a paper " The a Peaceful for Black Struggle for Liberation and the Prospects Solution delegates for South Africa . " I told that the armed nonthe struggle had failed and it was up to those involved in violent struggle for democracy in South Africa who were aiming Whites force to the negotiating table on whom South Africa would have

I

to

also

rely .

took the opportunity of meeting

with Dr.

Vice-

Alois Mock

Foreign

Mr.

R. Chancellor Minister Austria and of and with Niescher , the Mayor of Innsbruck . The outstanding thing from my point of view was that at this Conference I met with many leaders never from different parts of the world whom Black South Africans

get

to

meet .

It is precisely because revolutionaries do not want that they are people of this calibre in part attending

international

conferences .

They do

me to meet with opposed to us

not want

me

to

have

72

the

kind

of

For first - hand discussions which then become possible . my trip to Portugal , I met General Olusegun a number of very interesting remarks to me .

example , during Obasanjo who made

In September last year I again broke new ground when I had the opportunity of visiting Hong Kong where I addressed the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce . I also had the opportunity of addressing the representatives of the media . Businessmen round world are obviously interested in South Africa as a in which they could invest . At the instigation confrontationist politicians in South Africa have painted pictures

of South

Africa

going

up

in

area possible of ANC , the on Occasions

smoke .

while at the same time had to correct these false impressions , I telling the world that there is a struggle taking place in South Africa and the going was really tough . I do not go Overseas to on favour with anybody , curry nor do I go overseas propaganda missions . I go overseas to tell the truth about South Africa and to

gather whatever

will actually

support

produce

can be

gathered

transformational

for the

forces

in

politics

the

which

country .

November I again had to go back to Europe to deliver a paper at West Germany , organised by the Hans Seidel a Symposium in Munich , my of tions . e The theme ign on's Rela itut Fore for dati Inst Foun

In

in address was " From Confrontation to Dialogue - Efforts for Peace I was afforded the While I was in West Germany , Southern Africa . " Federal the again meeting with the Chancellor of of opportunity Max H.C. I also met Dr. Helmut Kohl . Dr. of Germany , I While I was in Germany Minister President of Bavaria . the met I also on the Konrad Adenauer Foundation . called

Republic Streibl also

Foreign Minister ,

Mr.

Dieter

Genscher .

always found a great deal of pragmatism in Germany and have I it real little so get been for me so strange that we has always than any They perhaps more West German churches . from support churches are enamoured with the SACC and the kind of protest other well . so perform the Naude / Tutu/ Boesak trio which in politics There

seems

and minds experience

to be more guilt about South Africa it can only ascribe I and hearts to felt need the Nazism and of one way

atonement

in

I

that

believe

in the

West

in

German

German the to institutionalise

or another .

end we will win back the

friends

that we

have

lost in the German churches because the German pragmatism which got on with the job of reconstructing Germany after the Second World War demands

Mr.

that

Speaker ,

they become

Honourable

involved in

Members ;

in

things

January

that

work .

this year

I

had

the

great pleasure of delivering a sermon at the parish church of St. Michael's Cornhill Year at a City New Service . Members will

73

remember

that

London

a whole .

as

the

term It

' the

City '

refers to

a

does

not

very

distinctive

refer to the part

City of

of

London

in which a galaxy of banking and financial stars work in streets of is city The very elegant Elizabethan and even older buildings . indeed

a

brought

people

While

I

very

distinguished

was

place

together whose

London

in

I

and

names

again

the

are

had

talking to Mrs. Margaret Thatcher . the Foreign Minister and Mrs. Lynda

New Year's

service there

uttered with awe .

the

of

opportunity

briefly

I also saw Sir Geoffrey Howe , Chalker , Minister of State in

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office . I again expressed the view at these meetings that Britain had an honest broker's role to play and to that Mrs. Thatcher was eminently suited to play midwife new developments in the politics of negotiation in South Africa and about

South Africa

among

the

international

While in London for the few days with the important interviews following :

community .

I that I was there , such as for media ,

11

January

1989

-

BBC

Radio

-

' Focus

11

January

1989

- BBC

Radio

4

·

12

January

1989

-

BBC

Television .

AM

13

January

1989

-

LBC

- Independent

Radio

13 January

1989 -

BBC

Radio

15

1989

This

January

was

most

- TV

Channel

very the

Africa '

on

Today '

'World

Breakfast

Programme

'24 Hours '

4 - ' The World This Week '

stimulating

with a Chinese programme with Mr. Orlic the Editor

I noticed an to me . talk

-

some

example

did

as I appeared on the last mentioned Shao Wenguang and Political Analyst Mr. of ' The Soviet Times ' .

eagerness on the part of the media , Previously some friends of ANC in

which was new , to Britain and North

America have influenced the media not even to talk to us . I can attribute this new interest to the presence of our Representative in London , Mr. Ben Skosana , and the extent to which what Inkatha does here is becoming known world - wide . most true that of what is circulated negative against

because us

of the

by the

Movement in the West travel abroad .

Then ,

Mr.

Speaker ,

multi - million

External Mission and the

dollar

of

leadership

Honourable Members ,

Switzerland to attend the annual Forum where I read a paper " Politics Black Viewpoint . " Again I argued

to

It is of course absolutely in the world about us is

ANC , of the

in

propaganda the

campaign

Anti - Apartheid

UDF / COSATU when

January

I

they

also had to go

Economic of the World and Economics in South Africa : the vehemently that it is not

meeting

74

armed struggle that will liberate South Africa in the first and in the second place even if the armed struggle ended up so ,

future

governments would

inherit

an

awesome

legacy

of

place , doing

hate .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , the remarkable thing about Again , the important with Forum was the opportunity afforded me to meet President and included people from different parts of the world , his two Ministers Dr. Bernard Chidzero , Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe ; Minister of Finance and Dr. Nathan Shamuyarira the Minister of the Foreign Affairs ; the Prime Minister of Portugal Dr. Cavaco E Silva ; Bradley Senator Governor of California in the United States ; the of Minister the Foreign in the United States ; New Jersey from Mr. the Deputy Prime Minister of Indonesia Genscher ; Germany Mr. and many others too numerous to include in this Chambati , Ariston list .

Face -to - face meetings are so important and it is on these trips to different parts of the world that I can spread message Our and increase international pressure on Pretoria . The South African Government must know that really important people have begun to hear our voice and it is small wonder that the State President now so resents me politically and his Minister of Constitutional Development Planning and takes strong exception to say I what abroad

in

criticism

Mr. Speaker , live actually the redefine

of

South

Africa .

Honourable Members , in far left circles where people as they paint they strive in the scenarios and must there positions , Own to suit their struggle

always be a gross incompatibility between the real world obviously and the make - believe world of ideological concepts and scenarios .

Political propaganda incompatibility . The

from those propaganda lie

quarters reflects has to be stated more

this than

three times and people begin believing it . The propaganda machine incredible . has to hammer away at the things people find most By far the most oft - repeated ONLY liberation movement They talk about leading the it

line of propaganda is that the ANC is THE representing the people of South Africa .

it being the democratic

' vanguard movement .

movement . ' The talk

They has

talk about so be to

insistent , so vibrant and so stark in its jarring attention - getting suffering precisely because for the average devices , struggling , victim of apartheid , heard of .

it

is only

in

propaganda

that

the

ANC

is

ever

It is not there on the ground the present circumstances . them The

struggling with the people to survive The propaganda is only there to tell already . how ugly the circumstances are , and they know that is for propaganda only there to tell them that killing

political purposes is necessary . It is will armed struggle be escalated . telling ,

grinding

poverty

continues

there to However ,

to wear away

tell them that the amidst all this at

folorn

souls .

75

Honourable Members , Speaker , I now raise an important now are building power bases relevant to the people

Mr. If

issue . which

to be relevant to them as their circumstances change , highnot We are on the ground where they suffer . our Every one of us here has up there elitist leaders . falutin ' constituencies ; home own regional networks and each one of us unless the struggle in redundant made will be these here

will continue we must lead

and networks

constituencies

are

kept

not

in good working

order .

I introduced to this House a booklet " A Short Guide to l Practica Politics " , Mr. Speaker . Honourable Members must remember that I asked them to take this booklet , mull over it , amend it where necessary and then endorse it either as it was or as it was In

1985

amended

after debate .

adopting use .

this

We went through the democratic process of g as a workin document - a guideline document we would

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I have a measure of disquiet about some things , one is what Members of this Assembly just fail to do when they have undertaken to do it . My disquiet grows directly we proportional to what is not being done after have decided jointly that where House

it should be done . Is this just a big , grand speaking we gather to exchange fraternal greetings and have

discussions and

Mr. that and and

then go

home

to do

the

least

that

has

to be done ?

Speaker , Honourable Members , I am going to survive the years lie ahead . I will keep my own back -yard constituency working sound . I will continue developing my networks inside KwaZulu every across barrier that apartheid has ever attempted to

erect . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I will be shedding members Assembly on my passage of this through difficulties into the future .

"A If we do not turn to leading in the idiom of the working guide will it Short Guide to Practical Politics " history will shed us ; who It is only those leave behind as derelicts of the past . r le fo l op e the th s ve pe ot th as wi e rk le ro gr d th rk wo at an wo ng e d e ki s th ea iv ta am I ar g . e ah rv ye in th le to su who are go peop member step of again distributing a copy of this document to every Those who still have their document Speaker . Mr. of this House , their now have two and they can give one to a lieutenant in will cy en constitu .

This

document

should

again

be

taken

scrutiny of our comprehends the

collective wisdom . of our realities

passing of time weaknesses . It

has is

members

of this

and

We must working

be

subjected

to

again see whether If situations .

the it the

shown weaknesses in it , let us remedy these the from the working members of this House ,

House who

are

organisers

of people ,

motivators

of

76

action , local regional generators solidarity , of political upholders of vision , whom history will pick up and use in new and dynamic ways

as

change

proceeds .

I far - reaching implications . make a general point of will point that the very political structures which be the in the politics of negotiation will be different to fashioned more far be must Politics than . ones we now know in this country do . to existing structures new jobs of work simply giving The in existing evolved in a time which we will date the structures

I

want to the make

politics

of negotiation .

Anybody who believes that their cards correctly and to

all they have to do is learn survive in the circumstances

play to which in

lead , is going to be found sorely wanting sometime in the future . I have this perception . I can see that far ahead and I am things saying what I am saying because I deeply desire to do new with old colleagues . You can be quite assured that I will be doing new things and that I will be doing them with colleagues because I they

am

a democrat .

that

I

Only you

will be doing

can

make

quite

sure

that

it is with

you

them .

It is in this train of thought , Mr. Speaker , that I want to engage the minds of Members on the question of how our political power bases can be strengthened and extended . The very first thing I want to say consequences . the

mistakes

one

is that Nothing can

we must avoid action with negative erodes one's political position more than make in them .

It is because I know that South Africa will need the kind of power building we to bases are building that I am so deeply committed them . We are acting for the sake of South Africa as we do so . We constructing little rickety Our are not some ladder for own political advantages . personal We are stepping from rock to that ' real politik ' exposes as the tides of time wash further further afield .

We

must

avoid

mistakes

and

I

can

only

reiterate

that

mistakes even our folded arms have massive power as we watch other people erode their power bases as they do should not be done .

if we

rock and

avoid

stand by and that which

This is precisely what the National Party has done during the last African South the may recognise one strong decades . However Party National ruling however much the and be, to Government know we all the ruling National Party in white politics , remains that

its

power bases

have

been

eroded .

77

If

the

National

Party

continues

in

a

commitment

to

maintain

an

apartheid - base society its power bases will not only be subject to erosion , but it will sooner or later be smashed and the Party will dispersed be to the four winds . We do not have to go back over time to pin - point all the cul - de - sacs that the National Party forward . thought the were roads Our urgent concern is with urgency of today . Party

It

is

today's blundering

that

hurts

a

political

today .

creating The National Party is still suffering from the blunder of the creating Tricameral Parliament . In this Parliament , the Party National radicalised black opposition and legitimised this has radicalisation in the eyes of the international community . attempted

to deal with the worst

of this

blundering

in

introducing crucial of

the Tricameral Parliament by withdrawing from a number positions which it occupied in 1983 when it introduced it .

You will remember that then the concept of power - sharing and Blacks being participant with Whites in the same structures , were banished from National Party political discussion . You will remember that but Blacks were not only disenfranchised were de - nationalised . You will remember we were made aliens and not even citizens in the country over which the

Tricameral

parliament

attempted to

rule .

abandoned . absurd positions have now been These South African the under it lost is those who to nationality restored now of separation The total parliamentary constitution . Tricameral has structures Indian and Coloured political White , Black , been abandoned . The National Party is now attempting to further recover Council or its equivalent and by talking post and appointing Blacks to the minister's about to the original concept with alien totally so is this All Cabinet . 1983 which the National Party went to the white electorate in the twisting the present make could of No amount referendum .

by

a

introducing creating

a

National

prime

It must go in part and in whole because acceptable . constitution indicating the I am only in part and in whole . it reject we to attempted has squirming in which the National Party political escape

its

consequences .

the Had blundered with the National Party and had we accepted we have would desperat now be to too constitu ely we , tion 1984 people totally been have Our attempting would to recover . unforgiving

and

recovery would

virtually

have

been

impossible .

There is a lesson in this , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members . Do not be drawn into bizarre political experimentation where there can we failure . Of only be course up to now have refused to participate in the blunders of the National Party because it was so that patent it was blundering . We just knew that it could not succeed . further levels

We knew that it would radicalise the country . polarise We knew that

of violence .

black politics and heighten it would

78

There

however ,

are ,

some

areas where

have to do a certainty . known with kind always be - what

to thinking know what should be our where measuring rod should politics will

it

constituencies

give

react

rise to

to ?

more lot is This

we

How will we

leadership

under

lead

the

and

of

how will

principle

black local

involved ?

I can reject them because If I look at Regional Services Councils, they we were not consulted about them . I can reject them because are part and parcel of the structure of props on which the Tricameral Parliament rests . These are first principle reasons why first principle reasons , I should reject them . Beyond these are however , there practical political reasons why it would be suicidal

for us

to

bend

on this

The de facto Durban we know that apartheid says it is .

issue .

is not remotely like the de jure Durban The real Durban is a vast , sprawling

Durban in which the vast majority of the citizens are Black . Occupy life - saving positions in commerce and industry . The Council itself could not survive without Blacks .: Factories not survive without Blacks . The dependent on the black consumer . dominantly

They City could

commercial life of the city In its functioning , Durban

is is

Black .

It is only the politics moving towards recognising this real Durban to be the only Durban which will eventually emerge to be the only politics that survives at the local government level in Durban , as in any other city or town . We as Blacks lay because we live there and form its majority .

Regional

Services

Councils want

to

claim to

in the

cement

Durban

simply

divisions

racial

It is legitimate for us to struggle which we deny are legitimate . liberate what we can for the people while they struggle to do to came No Black South African had any option when it South Africa . under Group Areas Act or when it came to being classified the to The Land Act was thrust on us and the Population Registration Act . We Acts . of in the country lives under these kind Black every to Part of the struggle is against these kind of Acts . struggle share claim our birth right . We as Blacks claim our right to the of the

economy and a

It

right

is

just

for us to

proportion

oppose the

of the

further

fiscus .

elaboration

of

apartheid Mr. House ,

structures . It was right for us in particular in this Speaker , Honourable Members , to come into this House to say to the Government no further . It would have been wrong for us to turn our backs on what was happening . Had we done so , KwaZulu would by now Venda have been in the position of Transkei , Bophuthatswana , or Ciskei .

79

doing We are what madness . apartheid's

we do

to

We

resist

have

strengthens apartheid or elaborates would do if we entered the Regional

further

the

never

ever

done

elaboration of anything which This is what we

its machinery . Services Councils .

I

to think of practical politics . Our black representatives a RSC would be at the mercy of majority decision - making . Whites - only Durban Municipality is a funnel the bigger which more money flows , it which it was involved .

ask

you

in such Because through

will have the dominant say in any RSC have Umlazi or KwaMashu which both

population larger than Durban's white an ineffective little voice .

population ,

in a

would only have

colleagues involved Think of practical politics for Our in . mobilising people in the vast squatter areas surrounding Durban . We know that those people in those circumstances want to progress out of them . They do not want amelioration in them at the cost of grassprogressing out of them . They want a balance which their root gut feeling says is the correct balance between doing what has be done to survive and doing what has to be done to get out of survival circumstances .

While the consuming

RSC's experiment their way into the future , they will be something doing the time which should be spent in poverty black effective . While in they are consuming this time , these areas will be growing . The poverty - stricken masses who are

already in the Greater Durban Area in their millions would be added while people grew poorer . to This mass of people would be moving of to resolutely a position where they could sweep RSC's out existence .

I

all

the statement that real political power is only derived into proceed participation in events and developments which future . the Real power can only come from those who ride on of history and do not attempt to thwart it . You can forget

repeat

from the back

the

theory

in

the world

if you remember

this

point .

knew We that people wanted us to oppose apartheid in the KwaZulu we Legislative Assembly and we knew that they wanted us to do what could

possibly do

for them while we

theory of what we did . This is what we did it , and our power bases grew .

opposed the

apartheid .

people wanted

Forget

the

us to do

and

Forget the theory of it and concentrate on real assessments of what air . the people now want us to do . The people smell change in the have the taste of it coming . and They They want us to hasten it They they are quite intolerant of RSC developments and the like . with are intolerant of anything which has anything to do the Tricameral parliamentary system . At grass root level an Inkatha leader or a member of this House as Blacks in black politics would not fit into the idiom of the people if he or she had to sell participation

in the

Regional

Services

Councils .

80

you can Again constitutional arise

out

of

to forget all the theory in the world when it comes developments if you remember that constitutions people's experience and do not author people's

experience . In idiom I know what I can and cannot sell to Black South Africans . I know that without even having to stop and think that I could not sell anything which is a divide and rule mechanism . I could not sell anything if I did not uphold the universality of human rights . There is no solution for one race group which is not a solution for every other race group . There is no separate destiny for any race group . If I in any way attempted to sell anything which contained the notion of there being a separate destiny for separate race groups

in

this

country ,

I would be drummed

out

of politics .

I know also that I do not need theory to tell me that when it comes to talking about the constitutional future of South Africa , I need Dr. Nelson Mandela , as well as other political prisoners , there with me . Black South Africa demands it . Not to heed this demand would be

We are about

suicidal .

talking about gut - feeling politics here ; we are not talking theory and clever argument . History will be written about

people like ourselves who work out the destiny of South Africa in gut - feeling terms . This must be so because we will ensure that the that constitution of the future is a people's constitution they themselves want .

Those

who do not

have

this gut - feeling

but

ride

theory and ideology will be left behind . Our more strongly than it has ever told us before

high on

political

gut feeling tells us that the people want

us to succeed in bringing about radical change through the politics of compromise . The same people who keep the country's factories running going and keep essential meet services to minimum normality of requirements for life , will back anything and everything we do to bring about the normalisation of South Africa as a

We

modern ,

in

this

Western - type

House

industrial

therefore

face

a

democracy .

demand

of the

people

to

bring

same change through the politics of negotiation while at the and part in system in we reject the Tricameral parliamentary whole on their behalf . about time

Therefore my point remains , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that unless National Council the has a mandate to work within a framework determined by the agreed - to . scrapping of the Tricameral parliamentary system , I will have nothing to do with it . It must be a National Council of significant transition . It must not be a Council which is an adaptive mechanism through which time is bizarre some bought , or by which further constitutional experimentation

is

attempted .

81

MY to

gut feeling also tells me that it would be totally wrong for even think of approving the amendment to the constitution

which

a

Prime Minister will

appointed

Mr.

to the

Speaker ,

be

established and

Blacks

could

me in be

Cabinet .

we

have

to

lead

on the balls

of our

feet

and when the

Reverend Hendrickse wrote to me asking my opinion on this amendment to the constitution I am now discussing , I decided that was it right and proper for me to respond . We still remember the Eshowe decision of the strained , but request . The

I

Labour my gut

Party and relationships between us feeling told me that I must respond to approved of this consultation .

letter Mr. " Could

I

Hendrickse wrote urgently

have

to

your

Bill No. W 16-88 which would Black Cabinet Minister .

I

Do

we ,

let

me

sent

the

Labour

know by

him the

Fax

or

on

follows : the Second

for the

support

Minister

of

NO .

Dear

I

Bill ?

Please '

13th February

1989

Culture

Ref :

HJH / CM

1/18/27

021-4152489

Brother ,

was

Europe

in

Constitution night

the

of a

and

House of Representatives Private Bag 9068 Cape Town 8000

FAX

Amendment

appointment

reply :

H. J. Hendrickse M.P. of the Minister's Council and

provide

as

021-4152489 . "

The Rev. Chairman

Education

reads

comments

Party reject

return

following

me

this

and

I

Second

when

your

Amendment

am sending

you the

fax

asking

Bill was comment

me

sent . you

to

I only

asked

on

the

returned

last

comment

for

today .

present the whatsoever can change my total abhorrence of Advisory Black the with do to would have nothing I constitution . President has attempted to up to State prior the Council its opposed I . ntary system al parliame Tricamer the introducing or I vowed never to have anything to do with it and introduction I would with any prop that could be put into place to shore it up . I and Committee Cabinet with the Special nothing do to have Negotiating Non - statutory proposal to establish a the condemned Nothing

Forum as

an

irrelevant

absurdity .

82

to of view nothing can be done system acceptable . We are framework and outside its

From a black political point parliamentary the present interested in negotiating negotiations we are

may

enter

stated

clearly

into

must

intentions to

be

negotiations

scrap the

present

in which

make

only any there

parliamentary

system . In no circumstances whatsoever would I agree to serve as a Minister or a Deputy Minister and in no circumstances would I agree to one of my Ministers doing so .

When

do

we

future

begin

real

for the country

negotiations about a new constitutional it will also have to be clearly understood

and stated that the retention of the a constitutional building block is politics . and Black National

That Act and the Group Areas Act will continue dividing for as long as they are on White the Statute Books .

reconciliation

hideousness of a

The

man and Cabinet

Population Registration Act as prohibitive of constructive

lies beyond

these

Acts .

constitution which defines you as a

me as a Black man separates posting as a or posting

us a

and any Black who Minister , Deputy

Coloured accepted a be would

separated from the mainstream of black politics by the constitution Such a Black South Africans reject in part and in whole . person of Black and White . could not work for the reconciliation

I regard it as totally deplorable that the South African Government its to create a post Cabinet announced intention for a black or. a Minister Deputy Minister . This shows a blindness to the extent to which the present constitution is rejected by Blacks . makes nonsense of the Government's stated reform intentions .

It

to reason the to amendment this oppose I must , President ever before . The State This seen as a man on his way out of public life . Mr. gives the country the opportunity to demand the progress that my It is P.W.Botha had promised and which was never forthcoming . There

is

now

constitution be believe ,

sincere hope move ahead Botha

kept

more

than

that white and leave

marking

One does not

politics will find the necessary the cross - roads of history where

courage to Mr. P.W.

time .

know where Mr.

F.W.

de

Klerk will

take the

National

Party and against his own personal background and his track record as one of the most conservative of Ministers , one would be foolish to policy hope for too much . On the other hand , his first real Party statements after he was elected as leader of the National caution one to pause and give him time to show his true colours . Even if one has to suspend reservations which could be well argued and indicated by his past politics , we should reserve judgement he can until has had the opportunity to show whether he move forward with history or will continue the National Party's fight against

It

total

inevitability .

would be tragic

if he was

dynamics in the political establishing Regional of

just

National Services

a new stage

manager of the

same Party which led to the futility intention Councils and the to

83

urban give constitution

Blacks

their

provision

make

to

on and representati black Cabinet for a

own

a mend

to

Minister

the and

deputy ministers . This

continues

amendment

an

idiom which

fatally

flaws

the best

of

African South South African Government's reform intentions . the we that Government have at least got as far as saying spokesmen are represented . need new political dispensation in which all a a C.J. Heunis are now at least indicating Klerk and Mr. de Mr. flexibil new pouring be not will ity amendmen new This . possible t It will be pouring concrete in them . If wine in old wine skins . in made be amendment is passed , a start will have to new this bringing

Blacks

into

the

alienate me from the present a black person to it . I am terribly concerned for minds taking place

Cabinet . Cabinet

Nothing as

much as

could the

act

one

thing

that

we

more

appointment

of

about the future . There is a raging battle in this country and the unending political

stupidity of the ruling National Party feeds your enemies my enemies and pulls the rug from beneath your feet and The

to

just

do

not

have

in

this

country

is

and my

feeds feet . to time

we Even if we started right now doing what has to be done , Every run an awesome time gauntlet . further act the shoring takes in or Government up the present constitution

would

attempting to of the little

amend it in futile time we have .

acts

of adaptation ,

consumes

more

I sometimes wonder whether I am struggling for breakthroughs which - will when they eventually come - and they must eventually come too late . I am very aware that whatever the South African come will be Government does during this present session of Parliament , precursor to what insists on amending stage , we mandate in

it does in the next general election . the present constitution now at this

can be quite sure that the coming election .

it will be

seeking

If it critical

another

futile

The South African Government must now realise that it itself is running out of time to prepare the electorate for the new mandate that it will have to be looking for if there is to be any hope all . This amendment itself is an act which will further condition the white It most something

electorate to give no more than it has given in the past . prospects of certainly not augur does well for the the politics new coming out of the next election and God help us which will follow it . If this fear is well founded , all .

Yours sincerely ,

MANGOSUTHU G. Chief Minister

BUTHELEZI of KwaZulu

and President

of

Inkatha

84

do not know precisely what is going to happen Only somebody very South African politics . in even in short term know is that I All . know to pretend would politica stupid the lly increasi fluidity is ng state of flux in South Africa is deepening ; I

Speaker ,

Mr.

and that

sooner

really

later

or

something

I do not know what the outcome will be . Party the National

must

happen .

of the present leadership crisis of one In the sense personalities

is It concerned are irrelevant . the process behind the which the only important personalities a There is is thing . process at work in the National Party and that process will work what . whoever It is therefore with sadness that I see says the lack of dignity and that are being said

My hope go , he

hear the glib opportunism in some of the things about the State President , Mr. P.W. Botha .

for the State President is that when it is time will be allowed to do so with dignity and he

afforded

the

opportunity

of

adding

his

dignity

in

for him should

his

way .

to be I

deeply resent media reports that I have stated that I would prefer to work with Mr. F.W. de Klerk than Mr. P.W. Botha . I have never said such a thing . It is totally foreign to the person I am to mix in in the kind of undignified circumstances some sections of the media

have

However one Party , as I

attempted

looks at say , one

to

create .

the present leadership crisis in the Mr. knows that change is in the air .

National

Speaker , it was not long after the shock of the Labour Party's abandoning us to join the Tricameral Parliament that I observed that the election scheduled for 1989 would be a watershed event in which there must be a

re - alignment

of

South African

political

forces .

I reject the amendment by which a black Minister could be appointed amendment not to the South African Cabinet because the is a amendment . watershed I will not endorse the action of any Black should nomination to the African who accept South Cabinet as justifiable . Such a move would not be legitimised by subsequent events . I am saying nothing about Mr. F.W. de Klerk other than what I have already said , namely that he surprised me pleasantly by declaring verkrampt forthrightly into so that he had not been co - opted National Party . circles of the He must do his own thing as a political now .

leader

I

say anything

do

not

and we will

about

political leadership is a crisis creates leaders .

judge

Mr.

him by what

F.W.

de

strange thing . It is to me not

he

actually

Klerk when

I

does

say

that

When the time is very relevant who

ripe , that

Africa leader is , but I believe that the crisis into which South has been entering , is a crisis of deepening proportions which in the end must create leaders . Who knows , that leader might be Mr. but whoever it is will be striking out in a F.W. Klerk , new de

85

same direction . I just cannot envisage another five years of the kind of White /White politics , or the same kind of White / Black politics .

I will be watching each turn of event very closely during the next year . I certainly see enough to make me caution that some of us be will caught flat - footed . We have kept out of the Tricameral Services parliamentary process . We have kept out of the Regional only in Joint Councils . We have participated the Executive Authority because it is a move away from what the government is trying there

to do and we are only in it pending movement towards a

KwaZulu / Natal

as an interim something which is in the Joint Legislative Body

region .

Parliament , withheld our involvement from the Tricameral we as just Services Councils and the National Council , Regional Advisory in the have involvement withheld our original Black Non - Statutory the and Committee Cabinet Special the Council , be because we knew that real involvement would Negotiating Forum ,

We

have

coming . The the

Honourable Minister of Education and Honourable Minister of Health ,

Culture , Dr. Dr. Mdlalose ,

Dhlomo , and have been

Inkatha's representatives in the KwaZulu / Natal Indaba and they have reported back to Inkatha and to members of this House on the work done in the Indaba . Inkatha was also involved in the that negotiations to finalise the recommendations of the Buthelezi Commission .

In

these

kind of ways we

have

been

sharpening

our

constitutional

pencil and putting the political process involve , under scrutiny . We have been

that change could possible fortunate in being able to so with the do these things in the company of others and to do benefiting the advantage involvement of added of from constitutional law experts .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , the South African Government asked and the Law Commission to look at the question of minority rights need for a Bill of Rights . the They have now tabled their report they and from initial information available through the media , like Indaba the Buthelezi Commission and the KwaZulu / Natal had finally to come back to the need for a one - man - one - vote system of government .

I

mention

these

things

because

there

is

indication that sharpening continue

every

caught flat - footed if we do not will be pencil and our political thinking . constitutional

When the

we Our time

we from our side must be both equipped comes for real negotiation , the and prepared to negotiate - more - we must be prepared to take lead in negotiations .

86

this House While negotiating teams are inevitably limited in size , as a House should have its own opinions about the constitutional future their

of South Africa . Members of this House must be able to take their authoritative place in their local communities and in constitutional developments discussions about regions when are to the people . taken This I most certainly will do whenever I am involved

in

the

politics

of negotiation

at

the

national

level .

preparing in to be doing more than we have done looming . now the constitutional debate which is over onaries taking revoluti about songs so many bravado used like there are so many loose phrases being and

we ought Perhaps for the people There are government

of the people " that being of danger

" government in stands

real

consultation with the

confounded

by

people

slogan - singing

propagandists . I believe that we in this House should be constitutionally - minded and farshould prepare ourselves to hold our own in honest and reaching debate . We should all , I believe , share in a KwaZulu issues . Legislative Assembly attitude to basic constitutional therefore thought it advisable to table what the ANC's Mission exile

have

put

up as their guidelines

to

the

constitutional

Į in

debate .

issued document exile ANC Mission in a " Constitutional The Guidelines for a Democratic South Africa . " They elected to base thinking Freedom their constitutional on the provisions of the Charter drawn up in Kliptown in 1955. To an extent this must be have first an welcomed because for the time the ANC given indication

being of they have

thinking

and

thinking

about

This that it It

the

willing now

to issued

unattainability

move away from one -party State an ANC document in which the new of pure

socialism

must also be welcomed because it document the ANC Mission in exile has distributed a

is reflected .

time is the first which document in

attempts to join in with politics on the ground in is a document in which they actually woo support .

this In

country . they it

about nothing They also say nothing about nationalisation . say document a They fly could really upset anybody . that anything could be different things to different people and all things which softening political of represent a does This everybody . to attitude

and this

is welcomed .

Firstly I want to raise a number of questions . said this , a is the question of how suitable the Freedom Charter is as Those who drew it up base document for constitutional discussion . up It was drawn in 1955 never intended it to be such a document . of a document in which there could be shared vision by members as Having there

organisations which had come together to work in alliance peace of document was flown as a flag In this 1955 ion It . purpose common of tions and was a declarat organisa tional blueconstitu a as used be to intended not , repeat

different politics . between I was , print .

87

The

ANC

burnt

fingers by

its

remaining

remote

internal

from

any as they stated , developments for too long because , political detract would democratic opposition to apartheid involvement in struggle . their prime responsibility of developing the armed from Politically ,

they

burnt

their

fingers with this

aloofness .

After

the 1976-78 period they sought with some desperation for a starting point of engaging themselves in internal developments .

They turned to the Freedom Charter and resurrected it out of their dusty cellars . Until then the ANC never mentioned the Freedom Charter . It was regarded as a has - been document drawn up by hasbeen activists whom history had left behind . Be that as it may , they did resurrect the document and it became the flag -bearer of Mr. the ANC /UDF / COSATU alliance . Just as an interesting aside , Speaker , Honourable Members , the Charterists and the non-

the Charterists were feuding with each other in black politics and choose flying of the Freedom Charter as a flag - bearer was done to sides

in

this

dispute

and to

The Freedom Charter was not and it should not be used as as it may , headings .

let

us

look at the

gain

some

kind of relevance .

intended as a constitutional a constitutional blueprint . points the

ANC

make

under

blueprint this Be

a number of

a be this heading they say the State should Under The State : democracy people The . unitary state and should be a non - racial central one sovereign in the State and there shall be be shall of delegation the for made ' be should provision but legislature Hereditary be they will say , chiefs , and rulers powers . The last point they make under the State reads : " All transformed . organs of government , including justice , security and armed forces , democratic whole , be representative of the people as a in shall functioning defending dedicated to and , and the structure their principles

I

think

of the

nearly

constitution . "

everybody

reaction that they are they what about say

would

read

these

so airy fairy that they the State thus far one

words

have and my In have no utility . can have no real

quarrel . Under the heading : " Franchise " they state our views that the people are sovereign and that there shall be a system of one person one vote and every voter shall have the right to stand for election to any legislative body . We have no quarrel with this . also have no quarrel with the statement that there will be one national identity for all South Africans . I also would not the transformation of Hereditary rulers and Chiefs , without to what kind of animals they will be transformed .

endorse knowing

88

Under there

the heading " Bill of Rights and Affirmative Action " they shall be a Bill of Rights based on the freedom Charter

say and

that it shall be a Bill of Rights protecting individual rights . eradicating Under this section they have a number of points about race discrimination , the elimination of social and economic inequalities It racism . related

produced by is really

issues

and the

quarrel with the

racial discrimination and the outlawing of altogether a hodge - podge of human rights rejection

of

racism .

We do

not

however

points .

heading

be must Economy " they make two points which righ to the have shal Stat " The t that l e say They up . picked take plac life econ s in whic e cont gene the omic determine h ext ral the and limit the rights and obligations attaching to define and secondly they And ownership use of productive capacity . and Under

the

state that state the

" The private sector shall be in realising the objectives

with obliged to co - operate in Charter of the Freedom

social well - being . "

promoting

ourselves have been deeply involved in constitutional thinking Anybody in the Buthelezi Commission and the KwaZulu / Natal Indaba . that experience in constitutional debate could tell you with any considerations . of clauses are a disastrous minefield two these will they They are șo vague but at the same time so pointed that As soon as you say that somebody shall have raise deep suspicion . right to determine the general context in which economic life " the

We

takes

place "

a

million

leap

questions will

to

mind .

in different will this right be to the same right that exists How lies What ideology Germany , and other places . England France , who behind the particular application of this right will depend on State It could be exercised by a hard Marxist exercising it . is faire /anything - that - worksit could be exercised by a laissez and

State .

is - fine

The private sector they say shall be obliged to co - operate with the State in realising the objectives of the Freedom Charter . Really this is political naivety of amateur politicians that talks thus . formulating The Freedom Charter never set itself the task of objectives pursue .

This

that

thinking

private

enterprise ,

misconceives

the

together with the

nature

of

misconceives what will have to be the priorities is to thinking serve the broad direction of

the

State ,

State .

should

It

of the State if it contained in the

Freedom Charter . This kind of use of the Freedom Charter tortures it to death . The rest of the points which are made under this give very heading little indication of the kind of " Economy " economic

system that

is

actually being

talked

about .

89

Let

me

take the

consumption

last

shall

point

be

made

-

" Property

for personal use and Leaving aside

constitutionally protected . "

the obvious question of the real meaning of what is being protected - property or rights to it - this clause adds a sinister meaning to right to the clause which says that the State shall have the determine What kind is

only

the general context in which economic life takes place . of free enterprise component will an economy have if it which are personal property and consumption rights

constitutionally protected ? The right to produce is This document amounts to a licence to kill economies treated with grave

not and

protected . should be

concern .

Under the heading " Land " they have a statement which none of us can fault that there will be an abolition of all racial restrictions on ownership use is and of land but we have no idea what actually meant the next phrase : by " Implementation of land reform in conformity with the account the status too

much and

too

little

and

thus becomes

How on earth does any voter responsible if you do not undertaken

The

to

sinister

in

among the public hold know exactly what the

into both

its ambiguity . any government has government

do ?

document

protect family ,

taking It says

principle of affirmative action , of victims of forced re ovals . "

then

tails

off saying

there will be

workers ' rights , that women will parenthood and children's rights

a

charter

to

have equal rights and the shall be protected . And

finally that South Africa shall be a non - aligned State committed to the principles of the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity and the

Charter

of the

United

Nations .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I have done no more than give you glimpse some a of a document and I have done no more than raise questions about it . I have only done what I have done to draw your attention to the document and to make the point that we in this detail . House must examine it and that we need to debate its Perhaps this House should elect a Committee which will establish who

has

said what

about

this

document

and

subject

the scrutiny of the argument behind the principles Commission recommendations and the Buthelezi proposals

of

the

KwaZulu/ Natal

Indaba which we

the

document

contained in the constitutional

have

endorsed

in

endorse

in

principle .

How

different

is

this

document

to

the

documents

we

or is it just befuddled in its thinking just as we We need to have opinions , we ion whether legislat Party need to have opinions of each National We must be informed . accept or reject it .

principle ? Is it dangerous or just a propaganda piece ?

90

I

have thus

theme have

far confined myself to major considerations around the of real power in black politics and I want now to put what I as said in broad terms in the perspective of our own history

Zulus

and ask what

it

is

that

history

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , of me , it cannot be leached out me and it is something that not

has

prepared

us

to

do .

my Zuluness cannot be thrashed out of me , it cannot be cajoled out of even I could shed should I want to

do so . I would not know how to be a bold South African working totality the of South Africa if I was culturally faceless historically nonentity . History a has made me what I am history history

has made the Zulus what they are and it is South that has done these things . It is South African

that

prepared us

Zulu

has

history

is

for the

role

inseparably

we

must

part and

for and and

African history

now play .

parcel

African We making .

South

of

participated in South Africa in the Zulus history . behaved there forming the circumstances in which the British were South fashioning there were We the Transvaal . and Natal in We were north eastern borders and its northern borders . Africa's Speaker , Honourable Members , as Zulus participating in Mr. there , democratic Black future of the foundations on which laying the built .

power would be

I

am totally

sickened by those who

scream Zulu ethnicity abuse at politics that made Zulus what they are . It is not created Zulu solidarity which defied the concerted came to attempts of the then greatest world power when Britain Ulundi . smash our Zuluness after she defeated us at the battle of It is not politics that created the Zulu stalwarts who became us . It politics

is not that

politicians . It was history which threw up the Dr. at Semes the beginning of the old ANC and it was threw up

Chief Albert

Lutuli

at

the

end

of the

old

Pixley ka Isaka history which ANC

era .

solidarity was It not politics which created the Zulu on political leaders like myself can so depend when we stride into the Zulu by

arenas power

to do battle with in those arenas .

apartheid . I When

apartheid for the sake of South Africa , adds to their effectiveness .

it

I feel strike is a

which forth

myself carried blows against

Zulu

thrust

that

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I would be reneging on my historic responsibilities if I tried to shed my Zuluness . I make the point that as Chief Albert Lutuli was rising to wield power inside the old ANC , there was a kind of sickness about the organisation . It developments had been through a very bad period and new in it emerged after Mr. Anton Lembede , Dr. Nelson Mandela , Mr. Jordan Mr. A.P. Ngubane , Mda , Mr. Walter Sisulu , Mr. Oliver Tambo and others formed the ANC Youth League . The new drive of meaningful and politics in a period of ANC doldrums had to be drawn together led . It was Chief Albert Lutuli who did so .

91

Chief Albert not returned

Lutuli would never have done what he did do if he had to this region of South Africa mobilised and mass

support amongst Zulu - speaking South Africans . It is the quality of Zulu support which he received which distinguished him So from other leaders . Mr. Speaker , any analyst should be able to see the to which Chief Albert Lutuli turned Zulu power into South African power .

Mr. this is not an ethnic statement , it is not a holierSpeaker , What I have been than - thou statement , it is not a Zulu statement . been simply has there saying that whenever to amounts saying created a stone has been solidarity created by history , regional Africa . I should be put in the foundations of a new South addressed when I remember so well how folorn I felt in March 1976 a I knew then that what I was doing needed mass rally in Soweto . for appealed I then be done in other parts of South Africa .

which

leaders to create their own Inkathas in their own areas . other said so because of the Draconian laws which made it impossible

I for

democratic large one to form to together get Blacks us as which could be countrywide at that particular time . organisation , of fragmentation ethnic not because I was accepting the was It Had they done so we would Black South Africa by Apartheid Masters . are we a lot further down the road of liberation than been have now .

Zulu employing force ethnic an as attacked now we are Yet hideosness There is a motivated by Zulu imperialism . chauvinism bitter about these demeaning political attacks which leaves a very taste

Ι of

am

in my mouth .

one intensely aware that in many respects King Cetshwayo was new He accepted the need for a first new South Africans . before the which treaty would replace war long in Africa work to and the British saw the necessity to come together

the

South Boers

King Cetshwayo was not bent upon spreading one South Africa . for the He was bent upon employing Zulu power for imperialism . Zulu examine his only to One has South Africa . new the of good in position to the British Government from his exiled despatches to Cape and one has only to analyse what he said when he went the to perceive the new South African voice with which he was Britain , speaking .

I have no motivated

imperialistic intentions whatsoever . by is Zulu imperialism and yet fear

is

in the

there

vague

fear but

a background

background on

sometimes

it

is

The last thing I am of Zulu imperialism

so many occasions . an articulated

fear which propagandists

seize

Mostly

fear and

on to

use

it

is

a

always

it

is

against

us .

92

circumstances and brothers

in whatever I could my to draw closer to

always done whatever have I me to themselves presented

Africa . in leadership positions in other regions of South sisters KwaZulu , I of Minister beginning of my term as Chief the From across to formalise relationships between black leaders attempted First the ethnic barriers apartheid was creating to separate them . Matanzima all after our meeting in London with Paramount - Chief of I talked of us getting together in one Chief Mangope in 1971 , and the in resulted This Union spurning ethnic barriers . Federal A few days after the Umtata Conference in September 1973. Umtata Conference we were to meet again with these leaders East London in a Conference hosted by Donald Woods , ' The Daily Despatch ' with the later the South established January 1978 , the then and joined later leadership of

I

of the

have

of the Progressive Black Alliance in

Reform

Party . Ulundi

Y.S.

Party Mr.

in

Chinsamy

with leaders We were Sonny Leon . leader of the Labour Party Mr. the under Party the arena by the Dikwakwentla in under Mopeli and later by the Inyandza Movement Dr.

leadership of Mr.

the

leaders African

in Bulugha near of the Editor

tried

Mabuza .

Enos

formally

and

I

have

tried

informally

to

set

new

standards of inter - regional co - operation and strategic planning . I have tried to pursue these ideals inside the structured politics into which we went to wage battle against apartheid and I have tried to pursue them outside structured we politics . When as Black leaders , from various regions , met with Mr. J.B. Vorster and then with Mr. P.W. Botha after him I sought a unity of approach , I pursued ideals of this unity the after it became clear that Mr. Vorster and Mr. Botha had no intention of dealing with united a Black South Africa because in their minds the admission of there being a black their majority in the country would be to fatal cause . I was quite prepared to deal with any black leader much disagreed what I they with were doing .

no

matter how Speaker , Mr.

Honourable Members , the Transkei was the first territory to accept the so - called independence Pretoria was offering us all . I opposed Paramount Chief Kaiser Matanzima's intention to do So and I lambasted

him publicly both

done so . I could not could I accept him as

in this country and abroad after he co - operate with him in what he was doing , a partner in what I was doing .

had nor

it however , that as soon as for black unity was such , drive which he to deal with him within a framework in possible became so . I immediately did rejected the fragmentation of South Africa ,

My

he , together with other leaders such as the late Dr. When talking about a federal future I pricked started Phatudi , ears and listened .

Cedric my up

It is now a matter of recorded history that my lieutenants met with the lieutenants of Dr. Phatudi and Paramount Chief Kaiser Matanzima with whom I later had personal meetings - and who was shocked by Blacks the Tricameral parliamentary constitution and felt that must

unite

to do

something

about

opposing

it .

93

I have never sought black unity only with those who run behind me . I have sought black unity across the board and I have sought a black unity which would include black political leaders , regardless whether of or not they oppose me and regardless of whether

or

fair means

I

do not

not they oppose or

foul

fairly or unfairly - oppose

me

by

means .

there

that

believe

me

is any occasion

in my

political

career

in which the unity ball has been actually flopping around in my own court . I have always ensured that the unity ball is bouncing and always

grasped

to throw it

it

back

into

the

others .

of

courts

Right now the unity ball is bouncing in the court of Mr. Oliver I have offered to meet him to discuss difficulties but thus Tambo . he has not dared to agree , far except for messages which I have other such as Bishop Manas and received Buthelezi from people clergymen .

My

whole

approach to

South African their presence

national

political

issues

leaders must not only be should be sought there .

is

that

free to be I will not

all

Black

there but that negotiate about

the future of South Africa while there are political prisoners South African jails of the calibre of Dr. Nelson Mandela .

My search for unity is not a search for a following . Africa first and I most certainly put the good of the the good forward .

of the

Party .

It

is

not

Zulu

imperialism

South before

I put State

that

in

drives

Anybody with a modicum of political analytical sense would see that it is not Zulu imperialism which accepted the KwaZulu /Natal Indaba's

constitutional

proposals

occasion to negotiate , I there being an ethnic

have or

constitution would

I

rest .

in

principle .

am not

a

Zulu

offer South Africa the strength of Zulu of ideals all South Africans can share .

I would like Speaker . report I

I

to

share

the

Whenever

I

have had

negotiated away from any prospect of on racist cornerstone which our

things

imperialist . solidarity

All

in the

I do with Honourable

I

do

is

pursuit

Members ,

Mr.

head this House because this House wants me to head it . this to this House and I have always tried to present

House with a

balanced

picture

by making

sure

that

they are

aware of

anything of importance that I do or say . I would like to share a exchange Professor recent of correspondence between myself and Hudson Ntsanwisi . Chief Minister of wrote as follows :

On the 12th December 1988 he wrote to me as the Gazankulu under official Gazankulu letterhead and

94

Honourable

Sir ,

JOINT CONSULTATION :

LEADERS

OF

SELF GOVERNING STATUS

We have come to the end of yet another year and the time has once again come to look back on the main events of the year which has looks passed . Whilst the situation in South Western Africa and promising with the imminent implementation of Resolution 435 withdrawal the South African

the of Cuban troops from Angola , on other fronts situation provides we Blacks with less hope of

positive

to

things

come .

initiative has The reform ground to Municipal Elections throughout South

a halt Africa

and have

considerable gains by conservative elements at probably level . The Boksburg debacle is

the October resulted in

local Government the most one of

have significant threats to race relations in South Africa that we new witnessed over the last decade , and this at a time when members realism and pragmatism appears to be emerging amongst of the international economic boycott

community regarding the against South Africa .

question of sanctions and Were this just a summer

madness I would be less concerned . The fact is that the right wing in South African politics significant It

is my

than

fervent

many of us

had

belief that

the

that is

it now appears probably more

imagined . time

is now more

than ripe for

us

as leaders of the self - governing territories within the Republic of import . South Africa to form a united front on matters of national I urge you over this Christmas season to consider your position in this regard . It is my feeling that it would be appropriate for all of us to meet in the new year with a view to establishing a base from which we can together , more effectively than at present , propagate our views regarding the course of events in South Africa for the benefit not only of our South African population , but for the international community as well . I make my services available to convene the first such meeting should the consensus favour it . In conclusion ,

may

I

take

this

opportunity

of wishing

you and your

people a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year and may we in 1989 find new reserves of wisdom to guide us through difficult

Kindest

times which as

yet

regards ,

H.W.E.

PROF .

DR .

CHIEF

MINISTER

I replied as

NTSANWISI

follows :

lie

ahead

for

South Africa .

all the

95

Prof. Dr. the Hon . Chief Minister

H.W.E.

Ntsanwisi

23rd January

1989

Gazankulu Government Private Giyani 0826

Bag

X573

My Dear

Brother ,

Thank you for your letter of the 12th December 1988. It was a good letter to read and I have been thinking about what you wrote ever since I received it . I have not answered before now because of the importance of the subject matter in your letter and the need to think very clearly about the possibility of us as leaders of the self-governing territories to formulate a united front on matters of national

import .

You are aware

that

I

have

advocated

unity of action

amongst

us

for

many years now . You are also aware that the pledges and the talks Kaiser which preceded them prior to Paramount Chief Matanzima making his then astounding move of settling what Pretoria calls " independence "

were

all

seriously made

and conducted .

action as concerned leaders earnestly debating courses of met which and pledging support for each other in lines of action about Where did all this earnestness appeared to be a consensus . there accord value was there really attached to the What we us? get

We

thought This

there was between us ?

is not

a

question

I

am asking

in

some

kind

of pique .

It

is a

question I ask needing to be answered by looking at the political realities which surrounded the discussions we had which led to the Umtata

accord .

I

have

structurally speaking

Then each

there was the other again

representations he

first

came

Declaration

of

that

again

Intent

so

as

our accord so

we

myself what

laughable

is

in the

it end .

finding and a move towards culminated joint our in

Prime

that

process

asked

Mr. President , Minister .

State

office

Whites to begin the

made

and

kind of re - grouping which a sense in

to the to

again

as Blacks

of negotiation

P.W. Botha , soon We asked for a

after joint

could work together with about

national

issues .

In this move I saw us creating certain structural circumstances the which Umtata discussions did not have . We were directly or indirectly , knowingly - or perhaps only knowingly to some extent that action by a group of leaders in our positions needs to be made by a defined set of circumstances which brings with it coherent perception

of our national

Subsequently the State joint representation

identity and purpose .

President had no difficulty in ignoring Our and some black leaders had no difficulty in

to walking a road with the State President and being prepared malintent reason with him while - and I say it with no - they trotted after him on a road which they ought to have known would lead nowhere .

96

The circumstances Special Cabinet Committee had a set of national which Blacks could negotiate . within The problem was that there was not power consensus worthy of the name on which Blacks could rely when far and national and all

they were faced with situations where they had to say no more . The absence of solidarity between leaders of territories , to use your term , cost South Africa dearly the effort , however to sincerely made , led only a

recognition that out of the fire .

the

Cabinet

Committee

could not

pull the

chestnuts

While

all this was taking place there were other moves . I think for between us instance of the moves to establish consensus as leaders on a federal solution for South Africa . Paramount Chief

Kaiser Matanzima and the late Dr. Phatudi were convinced that we Black leaders could come together with a national solidarity

as to

take up the challenges to reorganise South Africa which the African Government's unilateral plunge into the present Tricameral constitution threw out to us .

met , We our lieutenants constitution and they

started began

implications of establishing Then Pretoria simply wagged Matanzima even , There time .

reminding

when he

out details about the

unity within a distinct a finger at Paramount

him of his

accepted

thrashing thinking

so - called

political

and he

name and practical

organisation . Chief Kaiser

obligations

independence

of

pledges

and

withdrew .

same issue which emerged as important at was another the When I thought back on the failure of the Umtata summit

meeting and thought back on how the State President could go ahead simply ignoring our joint representations to him when he first came to office , and when I thought about how the Special Cabinet Committee was cut off from other leaders that part of the problem was a set of nationally to whom they

and the leaders

important things without direct could report back on progress .

people , I realised attempting to do

mandates

from a

people

I realised that leaders like you and I have structural positions look within which mandates have been received but when we at South national negotiations about a new constitutional future in Africa , we are negotiating about the changing of the parameters of mandates which we

the

I of a

of

course the South translation

a

mandate

in

fact

operate

on .

realised this and this of course led to establishment African Black Alliance which in a very real sense was of the mandates which we as individuals received into

in which we

as black

leaders

acting

jointly

could

rely

on .

I must say with a deep sense of regret that I believe it was black leaders of self - governing territories who could not make this transition of relying on a joint mandate . This

was so despite

the

fact

that

it

had been

initiated

when

Mr.

Y.S. Chinsamy of the Reform Party and Mr. Sonny Leon of the Labour Party of South Africa , approached me in Ulundi in January 1978 and asked me to set it up , with them . But somehow the propaganda of waved the South African government agencies such as the S.A.B.C.

97

The South the spectre of a Zulu imperium which was very effective . of this African Black Alliance was perceived , as a result instrument for Zulu domination even though I propaganda , as Chinsamy , shared its chairmanship with Mr. Mr. Leon ( later Rev. Dikwakwentla Hendrickse ) the Party . Dr. Mopeli and of The framework exists even now, despite its desertion by the still Labour Party ,

Dikwakwentla

When therefore I was advanced levels in Matanzima

and

Dr.

Party and the

Inyandza Movement .

faced with proposals possibly reaching our discussions with Paramount Chief

Phatudi ,

I

knew that

failure unless we rooted what we were I therefore called for recognition

we

would only

face

fairly Kaiser another

doing in the people at large . we that the proposals were

negotiating be laid before a mass meeting in Soweto before we as leaders moved to adopt them . I believe this in turn also contributed out . Paramount Chief to the negotiations petering in Kaiser Matanzima openly expressed fears of a hostile reception Soweto .

sincerity leadership amongst black epitomises who appeal again for " a united front on matters of national

you Now ourselves , import . "

I

have

for what you

yearned

appeal

for ; initiatives

you appeal

I

have

struggled

to make what you I have taken I attach such importance to what you appeal experiences I just will not repeat past and

for ;

appeal for a reality . however , that for , initiate

for what

something which

is

just

going

to

fall down again .

the Your appeal written in December was made without knowing that State President would suffer a stroke in January . I am terribly concerned about the future because of his stroke . As black leaders are not ready to be thrust into which South Africa as a melting pot that has kept it boiling . I

have

always

a national crisis situation spills over and douses the fire

said that when things

one day move

they could

move

with an awesome rapidity . In log - jam situations there is always a tumult after the log - jam is broken and a rush of events in which Hell , pent - up forces are released . I say to myself : if we can't even stick together stick together in

inside a log - jam , how on earth are we going will the hurly - burly of the events which

tumultuous when the

log - jam

Give

is broken .

can give me men and women I can rely on ; blood give me certainty of commitment in a kind comradeship which we as sons and daughters of Africa ought can we go and then give me the future into which experience me brothers whom I

believe brother to

to be

laughing

in ;

as we

battle with crushing

forces .

It is the idiom of the thing that we must also talk about . The closed door , idiom of behind - the - scenes , back - room discreet talk all wrong . may be What is the right idiom to fill the vacuum and establish what

you

are

asking

us

to

establish ?

I am I say again that I will not put my hand to a plough unless around going to see the job through . I am not going to falter be remedial must What we now do trying this and trying that .

98

doing ; it must it what we

must undo the damage that our past failures have created ; of learn from our experience ; it must be a specific act " can perhaps now rightly think about as " black empowerment .

I am immensely aware that all of us who lead at the self- governing territory level have very legitimate roles which are badly needed by the people in which we do the best we can for them during the struggle that is being waged for the liberation of South Africa . an is It onerous responsibility which history has thrust on our shoulders . We care for ordinary people while others are only happy to trade on their suffering and to use them as cannon fodder .

mix

falseness in the the kind of role

with

mix of things in which this role cannot national that is needed to establish

turns of events . This is what a great many inside South Africa and a great many outside South Africa , actually maintain . They write us off as part of the system . How seriously have we considered the clash between responsibility to do the best we can in an ongoing circumstance

I do the must

and

doing

what

we

can

to

change

the

circumstance ?

not believe that our responsibilities to do what we can do people while we are struggling really does clash with what do to bring about a national turn of events . I would not

doing

what

I

am now doing

if

I

believed

the

clash was

for we be

We

fatal .

cannot , however , under - estimate how dangerous the progress South Africa is to regard the struggle as a way of life .

in

Black

wonder I at times just how realistically we can say that exiles leading in revolutionary attempts have not themselves settled down live out a way of life which revolves around preparing for that which will never come . The malady I am talking about is not only a malady inside South Africa . Then you Jack - I - am - all - right - mentality . You

are

thing .

my We

brother

have been

in the

can add

struggle .

circumscribed

We

by the

to

a bugger - you-

endured

the

same

politics .

We

share

have

same

this

the

same dream . I add to your appeal that we must act now because anybody really disabused of any notion that there could be other than ourselves .

I

remember

the

1950's with a

deep

sense

of nostalgia .

I

remember

the 1960's with a deep sense of dismay as I waited for Oliver Tambo and others to do something . I remember the 1970's with deep and sense of disgust as violence exploded in South Africa Our and pants brothers sisters in exile were caught with their down around their flat - footed stances .

Until

the

mid - 1970's

I

knew

I

was

acting

out

period of South African history and transitionary ANC Mission in exile would come up with something . in addressing the KwaZulu Government Hansard , in Assembly , that the ANC was THE liberation saying South Africa .

a I

role

hoped

I the

in

a

that the

am on record Legislative

organisation

of

99

My

brother ,

they have only emerged

to

the

against

thrust as

other as they mangle their way to what they hope will be undisputed We have this to contend with when we talk national leadership . establishing about unity amongst ourselves as leaders of selfgoverning territories . How divisive will the forces be emanating from and and

the ANC Mission in exile which have been thrust in to divide for example , rule amongst us as they , prop up Mr. Enos Mabuza denigrate me ? I am getting a little tired of being used as a

whipping -boy both

from the

Left

and the

Right .

There this

is a great deal to think of and I have been great deal ever since I received your letter .

very

real

sense

that

the

log - jam which South Africa

thinking I know in , is

about a in is a

log - jam in which Oliver Tambo is part of the log that is jammed . How Where is he going ; what is he doing ; where is his leadership ? is he adjusting to perestroika ? How is he re-vamping the ANC Mission

There these that talk , that

in

exile

as

a

force

changing

with time ?

out is more to think about , a great deal more and I thrust few thoughts to tell you that I appreciated your letter and to I regard it as too important to treat lightly . We need my brother , but one thing I am quite sure about and that is we must avoid a situation in which a committee meets to

consider one of six alternatives and ends up generating another six alternatives and still not knowing which one to choose . We must avoid ending up in a situation in which a committee actually is established

and

ends

up with

anybody . I come back to my an act of black empowerment . Yours

statements

statement

that what

which we

don't

help

now do must be

sincerely ,

G. MANGOSUTHU Chief Minister and President

Speaker ,

Mr.

fatuous

Ntsanwisi

BUTHELEZI of KwaZulu of Inkatha

Honourable

saying

I

come

Members , back to

I

ended

my

my statement

letter that

to

Professor

what we now

do

must be an act of black empowerment . It is power advantages which developed . developing must be I see of no prospects power advantages within the framework within which the South African Government Professor

is

prepared

opening

of seventies .

There still

to deal with us . I really appreciated letter just as I appreciated his official Inkatha's Annual General Conference in the mid-

Ntsanwisi's

is an underlying prospect of unity across ethnic alive that I am not wasting keeps my hopes

pursuing alliance politics . Power alliances . Alliances merely document parties . are

not

I will confined

continue to

a

pursuing

lines which my time in

itself does not come from the power behind the allying

alliance

get - together between

ideals .

The

Gazankulu and

prospects KwaZulu .

100

We always had warm and cordial relations with the Phatudi and Honourable Members will remember that

Cedric late Dr. last I reported

year about the visit to Ulundi by the Honourable N.M. Ramodike from Lebowa . I have also again been contacted by the Honourable Enos Mabuza , Chief Minister of KaNgwane . Honourable Members will Speaker ,

remember ,

that

at

the

Special

Session of the

Legislative Assembly held in October last year I reported refused to attend a meeting called by the State President he hoped he

Even

Mr.

could address

Mabuza

record my reply to

all the

wrote to me

so - called homeland

urging

me

to

KwaZulu at

which

leaders .

attend and

I

want

to

him .

The Honourable E.J. Mabuza Chief Minister of KaNgwane

MLA

7 July

1988

Ministry of the Chief Minister and Economic Affairs Private Bag X1001 Louw's Creek 1302

Thanks

so

much for

your very kind

letter

of the

6th

of

July .

I apologise for the fact that I have up to now not sent the letter I promised to write you Sir , when I sent you the telegram on the 30th of June . I have been absolutely snowed - up with all sorts of things

prior to our

Annual

General

Conference

last

week - end .

Maybe it is just as well that I did not write as promptly as I had hoped until after our conference . I am enclosing my speech to the conference and also the resolutions which were Conference which up - date at the moment

our political position on all the as Black South Africans .

issues

that we

face

that just want first of all for the sake of the record to state I you which people did not participate in the structures Zulu the the achieving created with the intention of were state rightly until It was not goals of apartheid- just of their own volition . the had to comply with terms in KwaZulu for structur e setting up the self - government laws The Zulu Nation as such has of the laws under which it was set up . were structures existed as a cohesive force only since these not We had been as you know the most powerful nation in imposed on us . Southern and East Africa before our conquest in 1879 .

we

were

This fact while I

told

that we

had

no

choice

when we

I am afraid will always create a problem for me - because am elected like my fellow Chief Ministers in other self-

regions , my leadership amongst the Zulu people and Black people , was not solely created by the creation of amongst structures . was these So my response to a constituency which partly created by our particular history , will sometimes seem

governing

different from that of my peers in other regions . This will happen without me creating the impression that I want in any way to distance myself from other leaders in the other self - governing States .

I

am all

for

Black

unity .

It was

largely because

of this

101

commitment

that there was the

UMTATA Conference

in September 1973 . - so called ,

When our brothers broke away and accepted independence I still remained with the rest of my brothers who did " independence " a'la Pretoria .

not

accept

breaking I have at times differed with my brothers without away from them on specific issues . When Mr. P.W. Botha wanted me to attend a meeting of Chief Ministers at which he wanted to sell to the concept of a Black Advisory Council as a sop to us in view of our exclusion from the President's Council , I refused to attend such a meeting as I had already indicated that I was not prepared to participate in it . My colleagues did not interpret my refusal to participate as a snub to them . Then after this the Tricameral Parliamentary system was set up in which Chief Ministers were fact supposed to participate . My fellow Chief Ministers did in participate and I again refused to be part of the Cabinet Committee discussions . leaders , This was not meant as a snub to my fellow I was just refusing to be used by the South African Government to cover up Black exclusion in the Tricameral Parliamentary system . solidarity It also did not mean that I was destroying the Black we which the Chief Ministers had achieved through Conferences attended

together .

Before Mr. P.W. Mr. Vorster had in Botha's time , that as Chief Ministers should sit in a Special we " improve "

the

pass

system and

My fellow Chief Ministers I refused to sit on it . sit with them at never meant

as

a

our

snub

to

effect

its

on

1975 suggested Committee to

Black South

Africans .

again agreed This did not Conferences

to sit on that Committee and mean that I no longer wished was as Chief Ministers . It

them .

I was asked in 1978 by Mr. Sonny Leon of the Labour Party and Mr. Yellan Chinsamy to found the South African Black Alliance and I did . We were joined later by the Dikwakwentla Party of QwaQwa and by later the Inyandza Movement . I do not need to narrate the that history of how other member organisations broke away from Alliance as it is now a matter of history . But while it was in operation , my fellow Chief Ministers asked whether they could come to our Port Elizabeth session . We agreed that they could attend but none rancour

of them attended in fact . I mention this not out of any bitterness , or but as just the facts of the matter with

regard to

my

commitment

to

Black

Unity .

When Paramount Chief K.D. Matanzima approached me in 1983 with the intention of discussing with me the Tricameral system and in order to

suggest

that

we

should

put

up

a

common

stand as

Blacks

against

it , I agreed . I did so despite the fact that he had not informed me when he accepted " independence " , and he had in fact deceived me fellow with other Chief Ministers when we had asked him if the rumours called .

were true that he was going to opt for I agreed to work with him again when

ever trust him again . It had to later who were to tell me that participate in the SAFU project because they took

of its

agreements

independence .

with the

" independence " SoI had no reason to little his brother a

be him and Transkei the could no ( South African Federal South African

longer Union ) when Government

102

We of kept closely in touch with the late Dr. Phatudi to the end his days . Mr. Ramodike has been here and we keep closely in touch and he told me that he is following in Dr. Phatudi's steps as far as solidarity the we forged between Lebowa and KwaZulu . He also mentioned to me that he wants to approach other Chief Ministers in order to have solidarity amongst them on the issues facing Blacks . agreed I to co - operate with him in his quest for this kind of solidarity

amongst

Chief Ministers .

prepared to promote have travelled .

I

have

already

that

I

want

solidarity despite

informed

Heunis

Mr.

that

to the

I

repeat

that

chequered

I

am

route we

attending

am not

the

conference he has convened for the 1st of August . I do not see why Mr. I should attend a meeting to indicate why I declined to accept quite very heavy is Heunis ' invitation . That apart from my schedule I do should

this month ,

which

includes

a

trip abroad .

however wish to share with you that I could not bluff White South Africans that they can get

see

why I with

away

I am no longer When I looked

prepared at the it made

prescriptive to tolerate

politics in this day and age . that style of leadership .

programme I clear with

was astounded . First of all I had already the KwaZulu Cabinet that the question of salary

allowances of members office bearers was the and

not

the

concern

of the

view that we can determine even from the R300 million sources of revenue .

South African

Government .

I

took

the

our salaries as the Legislative Assembly which we have in our budget from our own

We have already made our views very clear that we have our Regional Services Councils . We on established the Administration .

and

of Legislative Assemblies and political concern of the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly

do not own

accept the initiative

Joint Executive Authority with the Natal Provincial Then I saw the Great Indaba or National Council

also as part of the agenda . It is also an issue on which my views are that can by now well known . I could not see what is there What I further engage me in a discussion with the Minister on it . see as also unfortunate is that a discussion of these things should take place during a state of emergency . I do not mean that I expect members of the 17 banned organisations to participate in such a to

Conference

give

the

as they would decline

impression

is business as usual

that

for me

I will not who will be

hold anything attending the

why

I

have

given

in the

past

and why

such a I

in

spite

with the

even if asked .

of the South

against any of my Conference on the comprehensive

declined

to

state

I

hate it

fellow Chief Ministers 1st of August . That is

report

of what

has

happened

attend .

to Black Unity as I I sent the Hon . Dr.

Dhlomo and three Mr. Thabo Mbeki

of our other colleagues and some members of the

to London Executive

Mission

This was by arrangement

with Mr.

ANC .

But

emergency ,

African Government .

I have a track record for a serious commitment have explained . Only in October last year ,

of

of

in order to meet of the External Mbeki ,

but no one

103

I was doing this while the achieve both my character

pitched up from the ANC . were waging against me to and my physical

assassination

is at

its

campaign they assassination

height .

I have never seen myself or Inkatha or the Zulu Nation as capable of bringing about the liberation of Black South Africa without the an participation of other organisations and without in - put by leaders some

from other regions . propaganda of the

of

I have no illusion about South African Government

our brothers when they accuse

dominate other Blacks because of our that indicates very poor arithmetic propagandists as the Zulus are not together nor are they more than all White

put

about the

I

together . fact

that

hope this will be

with whom you can

With my

best

I I

state

take

this

us

as

so

that

my stand because

the

of

wanting

there I

contents

of my

to

have always argued of the Government put and

more than all other Blacks other South Africans Black

clearly understood by my

share

Zulus

numbers . I on the part

that . I know confused has

can be

no

illusion

am on any ego - trip .

other

letter ,

leaders

fellow if you

like .

wishes ,

MANGOSUTHU G. BUTHELEZI CHIEF MINISTER AND PRESIDENT OF

INKATHA

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , it is in the broad context of what I have been saying about the need to build up real political power appropriate to the real political situation in this country that want now to make some observations about trends in black politics . underlying I direct Honourable Members ' attention again to the make power is assumption I and that is that real political political

power that

moves with history

The history of Southern importance of non -violent negotiation

which will

and

not

turning Africa is power bases . It

finally win .

against

it .

the

to underwrite is the politics

We will only be

of in

relevant

that victory if we have built up power bases to participate in in It is so tragic that so many of our brothers and sisters struggle for liberation are so confused about so many things .

it . the They

romanticise about the struggle for liberation play political stakes to maximise their own what consequences it has for the struggle at

or alternatively they gains regardless of large . The good of

the

of

Party continues

to be put

before

the good

the

State .

It

is

a confusing world into which new political actors enter and it is also a confusing political world for those old actors who re - enter it .

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

we

will

see

a

lot

of re - entering

into the South African political situation by those who missed correct turnings of history and want now to return to the centre of struggle . new the Altogether dimensions of the struggle will

104

emerge as negotiating success begets success and nothing like success . If there is anything we can do to direct to attention the correct perceptions of real politics

succeeds people's and real

political power , then we must do it . The more we succeed in doing more this the more effective the victory will be and the secure South Africa will be after victory over apartheid .

received It is in this context that I want to report on a letter I The letter reads as out of the blue from Archbishop Denis Hurley . follows :

Buthelezi

Chief Minister Mangosuthu G. Office of the Chief Minister Ulundi 3838

20th March 1989

Dear Chief Minister , PEACE

deep The violence

concern in Natal

should be

made

This

1. 2.

3.

would

3.2

peace .

about

involve :

The setting up of a Committee of Convenors who would take responsibility for it ; who , the establishment of a group of facilitators under necessary Committee of Concern , the would make all the preparations ; holding the

defined 3.1

continuing the felt on all sides in regard to attempt has given rise to the idea that another

to bring

initiative

INITIATIVE

a one - day

of

on

conference

certain

well

issues ;

leading , it is hoped , to a commitment to peace ; and to systematic follow - up on such commitment .

The following of Convenors :

have

accepted

in

principle

to

serve

on the

Committee

Professor Nyembezi Professor A. Thembela Professor P. de V. Booysen Reverend S. Magoba Bishop Michael Nuttall Mr. Harry Gwala Mr. Chris Saunders Archbishop Denis

An

approach

is

is

thought

Hurley

also being made

appointment has not yet It

E.

that ,

been

to

Professor

but

his

conflict ,

the

Nkabinde

confirmed .

to parties

mentioned above would be persons initiative .

involved acceptable

in as

the

leaders

of a

peace

105

However list

if you would

we

would

be

care

happy to

to

add

include

two

or

three

other

names

to

the

them .

I should be grateful to have these names in time to hold a first meeting 1989 at of the Committee of Convenors on Friday 31 March the Diocesan Chancery , 154 Gordon Road , Durban , commencing at 2.00

p.m.

Trusting

that

acceptable

to

the you

initiative as set out briefly above will obviously and enjoy your support , which

indispensable for a project best wishes for Easter .

of this

be is

and assuring you of my

nature ,

I remain , Sincerely yours ,

DENIS E. HURLEY . ARCHBISHOP OF DURBAN

Mr. Speaker , I must inform Honourable Members that I was annoyingly embarrassed when I received this letter . In an important sense it puts me should

on the spot . I had already decided that a major initiative be mounted to bring about the end of violent hostilities in

KwaZulu and Natal . approach and I House

with

this

I had already formulated the fundamentals had already decided that I should present

thinking

thoughts , they could be could be added to them .

so

that

in the

sharpened

sharing

and more

of the

of

of a this

fundamental

people's wisdom

Now having received this letter from Archbishop Hurley , there will mistakenly am puffing those who and be think that I huffing and this have politically want to upstage those who formulated initiative

Archbishop

Nothing could be the lives and violence Greater

There about

a

Hurley conveys

to

me .

further from the truth . limbs of those caught up

which we

have

Pietermaritzburg

seen

spreading

I do not play games with in the hideous kind of

ever

further

afield

from the

Area .

have been very sincere actors cessation of hostilities . I

in past think ,

to bring endeavours of the for instance ,

sincerity of some of those involved in the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Commerce endeavour . I think of the sincerity of some of those on either side of the talks I had with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Sincerity , however , has proved others on the 6th November 1987. the need sincerity

for astuteness more than anything else . A silly naive is dangerous . Sincerity needs to be made effective , it

needs to be informed , it needs to be pragmatic exercised across all the forces which really are

and it needs relevant .

to be

106

Despite

sincerity that

the

I

there

say was

among

some

on

either

side far

of every peace initiative , the peace initiatives we have thus seen have all ended up being ineffective talk - shops . I had before I received this letter from Archbishop Hurley decided that we must break away from the talk - shop approach . believe the initiative announced by Archbishop Hurley stands very in grave danger of just ending up being another talk - shop . In the initiative be held . to the

it is proposed that committees be set up and conferences When you look at the names of people who have been asked sit on the Committee of Convenors , you find that they are not on people who are on the ground in conflict with other people

the

ground who should be

involved

in

the

initiative .

do not need conferences of " certain well defined We need to get our act together on the ground . Past bring

about

because

it

the ground join in relevant

peace

in

the

-

Pietermaritzburg

possible

together with their

with their regional and

I believe actually

Greater

has never been

to

get

issues " . We endeavours to failed Area have

those who

regional

are

and national

opponents on the ground national leaders .

involved leaders

together

with

on

- to their

that the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Commerce initiative national of floundered most on this question the

leadership of the UDF and COSATU not being involved . We have again and again seen that when we speak to people in the high echelons of the UDF like Mr. Archie Gumede , who is one of the UDF's national presidents , or when we speak to Archbishop Tutu who is one of the we patrons , we UDF's speak to people who have no mandate . to speak to individuals lower down in the organisation , we speak people

who have

no

authority .

We

have

again

and

again

found

that

people and

like Mr. Archie Gumede have at the end of a meeting to say they will have to report back to their organisation . We sit wait for months and nothing happens and what could have been

done becomes

impossible

to do .

in we look at the initiatives that we have taken with COSATU When terrible find again you our accord as an attempt to curb violence , not COSATU is ambiguities throwing up daunting stumbling blocks . members . violence to Inkatha kill using protagonist main the COSATU members are obviously drawn in but COSATU as an organisation runs it In important respects the leader in the field . not is end the In . alliance UDF / as the third partner of the ANC the ANC will not allow workers their own freedom . It wants to use

I

have

said

COSATU / Inkatha

publicly

not

It does

workers for ANC purposes . worker purposes .

that the

accord and

to

offer the

ANC and

back

it

with

UDF

use

need

to

achieve

something we

to

an effective

of local , regional , national and exiled leaders . this letter from Archbishop Hurley in which there kind of behind - the - scenes discussion between we attempting

of the

know not

ANC

back

for

the

combination

Now I receive has been some know not whom name of what in the

107

bringing about a cessation of hostilities . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I cannot make assessments of faceless committees working behind the scenes presenting fait accomplis and coming up with formulations which any real analysis will show will not succeed because they are

When you

are

the - balls

too

in my

of your

much

like

position feet

what

has

and have

to

decisions .

received from Archbishop Hurley was when this House was in recess and

failed before .

lead , The

you have

timing

to

of this

make

on-

letter

itself problematic . It a meeting was proposed

arrived during I lead

this period of recess . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , this House because I am mandated by this House to do so . I could not take the step of endorsing this initiative or rejecting this initiative without consulting with the Members of this House .

clearly meeting Quite could not endorse the holding I this of scheduled for Friday , 31st March . Quite clearly I was also forced into a position where I had to disclose to Archbishop Hurley that I had already decided on certain initiatives and I had to give him the gist of these initiatives . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I had no alternative but to reply to Archbishop Hurley as follows :

The Most Revd . Denis E. Archbishop of Durban Archdiocese of Durban

Diocesan

Hurley ,

28th March

OMI

1989

Chancery

54 Gordon Road Durban 4001 .

Your Grace ,

Thank you for the letter you faxed to me on the 22nd March . I want to assure you right at the outset of this letter that I would go to the ends of the earth if need be to do something that could be done has so to bring about a cessation of the kind of violence which struggle Greater marred Black the for liberation in the Pietermaritzburg

Area

and

areas

further

afield .

back any initiative that had any prospects whatsoever of kind the restore hostilities to of cessation a of to free left are people ordinary struggle which in circumstances

would I achieving

against

apartheid

and serve whatever

and

to

struggle

organisation

with whom they want choose to serve .

to

struggle

they

are that the initiative you announced follows aware in the You must We go failed . footsteps other initiatives which have of have specifically that further initiatives at looking than Pietermaritzburg Greater quell the violence in the to attempted Area . with fear

You , Sir , are aware of the failure you and others about the Lamontville violence erupting there . of

that followed my meeting the debacle in 1984 and

108

You are Dhlomo ,

Oscar aware that on the 6th November 1987 I and Dr. Mr. Rowley Arenstein and other colleagues in Inkatha

for hours Archbishop

at the Methodist Desmond Tutu , of the Methodist

President

D. sat

Church Connexional with Your Grace , Bishop Stanley Mogoba , the present Revd . Church in Southern Africa ; the

P.J. Montgomery - Moderator Presbyterian Church ; and the Revd . R.L. - Chairman , Steel Congregational Church . Nothing came of that meeting . You are aware that various initiatives have been mounted into which I and Inkatha members have been drawn which involved Dr. Khoza Mgojo , then President of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa , on behalf of the South African Council of Churches ; this was in February 1988 and also involving Chamber of Commerce , also in February 1988. repeated calls levels of the initiatives .

for ANC , You

the Pietermaritzburg You are aware of my

top in the area and my calls for the and COSATU to be drawn into peace

peace UDF

are aware

that

a

formal

Accord

was

between Inkatha and COSATU and you are aware that I called on the UDF and the ANC to be drawn into this therefore When understand why I whatever

you say

could be

write that

done

I

to

about will go

entered

into

have repeatedly Accord .

another initiative you will to the ends of the earth to do

bring

about a cessation of violence but I add that I will no longer be drawn into repeated failures on and death issues . I now want something that will work and not want to go into any kind of window-dressing exercise which does perhaps no more than screen from general view the real that life

harshness

of the

kind of

killing

that

is

taking

place .

In direct response to your letter I must say personally that are going to be involved in something that is going to work , the of

way to go about it is not to present me with some committee to be formed and expect me to

feet

in a desperate

attempt

The

KwaZulu Legislative

to

meet

Assembly

an

has

a fait accomplis fall over my Own

impossible risen

if we then

deadline .

for the

Easter

recess

and it will only be back in session on Wednesday , the 5th April . am not a leader who lives by media acclaim . I live by the support of my followers and my leadership is democratic . I cannot take vital steps colleagues

if I

do

not

have

and followers

views and that

Your request first to be

they will

and

the can

opportunity make

sure

of consulting that

I

with

represent

my

their

back me .

for me to give the new initiative my backing will have conveyed to the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly and will

have to be conveyed to Inkatha's Central Committee which meets only on the 28th April . In order to enable me to do this , I would be most grateful if you could answer a number of questions . We need to of it

come to our own opinions about the validity and the genuineness this latest initiative and decide for ourselves what prospects has of succeeding . The questions I ask , are asked to enable us

to do

just

Firstly ,

this . when

originators ?

did

this

initiative

first

arise

and who

were

its

109

and actually is the prime mover in this initiative Secondly, who took the decision to call a Committee of Convenors into being already those and who decided on the names that you supplied as invited to

join the

Thirdly , if as you for a project of

Committee

stages

of

already accepted ?

I

only presented with a

fait accomplis ?

vexing me thrust me into very problems . announce comes at a time when I was in the

discussing

colleagues . I beginning to

have

say that my support " obviously is indispensable this nature " why was I not drawn into any

discussions and why was Your letter to initiative you

and who

an

initiative

I

was

hoping

to

with

my

had got to the point in these discussions when I was formulate an approach to the KwaZulu Legislative

Assembly and to the Central Committee of Inkatha . neither of us dare play any kind of one - up - manship seen as the

take

The last

first

who

stood

up

to

be

Quite obviously in trying to be

counted .

to broad which I would like give you the thinking in outline those close to whom carries the blessing of me with I have discussed it .

1.

The

There

need

is

for

for me

short , quite

medium and

obviously no

long - term objectives grand

quick - fix

solution

to

the

problem of political violence , whether it be in the Natal region or elsewhere . It is also quite obvious to me that what those do who invariably beating violence oppose any particular amounts to against

the

air .

one Peace objectives should be broken down into small objectives can be assured of achieving now in order to accumulate the gains which can be put to good use to achieve later that which cannot be achieved now .

This for me means breaking up action into programmes on the which penetrate the heart of the troubled areas at the local to achieve

2.

To

first - level more

concentrate

immediate

on working

ground level

gains .

in the

communities

most

directly

involved

If we are going to achieve more limited goals initially in attempts to do what can be done on the ground , we must develop programmes which involve ordinary people . This is particularly important in the Greater Pietermaritzburg violence and the violence further afield because past failures show a history of tenuous connections between leadership at regional and national levels and the people on the ground who are actually killing each other . In

the

violence we

are

now actually dealing with it

is

ordinary

people living in localities killing ordinary people living in their localities . It is these ordinary people with whom we must work and we must do a lot more than preach from on high . We must do a lot more

than pass

nice - sounding

resolutions

at

one - day

conferences .

110

3.

Campaign

for massive

backing

for a

peace

initiative

Until those who are jointly involved in bringing about peace have a joint say over resources which are pooled , we will never be able to overcome the temptation to participate in peace initiatives to gain party political advantages . We want peace because peace is more important

than any party political

gain .

to make thinking I therefore propose In my very international appeal for and national

large - scale very a funding substantial

M

which those jointly initiatives .

can

involved

share

they

jointly as

pursue

local

simply we We must get the total backing for the initiative are pursuing from every major donor agency throughout the Christian the world . We must stand together in pursuit of a common objective , backed by a common international Christendom .

4.

A message

to the

fund

assured

by

solid

and

undivided

1

people

educational with bombarded be on people ground must The the concert and messages of a committed leadership acting in material buy to with We must be in a position committed leaders . other scale large buy to , time broadcasting television and radio advertising drops space , of hundreds of do air to newspaper thousands

pamphlets ,

of peace

messages which can be The

5.

need

project If

are

factual

on the

monitoring

pre - recorded

back of

function

be

trucks .

and

ongoing

a project

fully

for peace ,

informed

through the

it

is

vital

constant

that

supply

we of

in Nobody must use distortions of facts against others . Peace comes before gain and we can only peace if we know the facts of who actually what took

information .

initiative

this

for what

connection

initiatives of members

get can Inkatha

particular

reason .

boggle really does it the ground and be off

• my

mind

how

peace

fully supported by press profile conference

high the after Jay Naidoo , accusations which were flung at Inkatha members by Mr. Mr. Naidoo is reported the General Secretary of COSATU , last week . have accused Inkatha members of working in cahoots with members to against the South African Police in the commitment of violence of the Through district . Pietermaritzburg the in members their in lawyers COSATU and on made was suggesti a such COSATU of lawyers fact

*

.

have

to

involved

propaganda work for killing

an ongoing

loud hailers and

people

leadership

are going

who

In

for

to use

taken to the

**

stated

that

they were

aware

that

Inkatha

has

also

A

got

They then suggested that Inkatha should this effect . agree to hearings on these allegations being heard by the of Adjudication Board that was set up under the auspices the should sides d both that We suggeste Peace Accord . Inkatha / COSATU was it Minister of Law and Order as we did not think the inform are We . purpose this for tion Board now Adjudica right to use the

complaints to principle in

surprised

to read that

a

Press

Conference ,

in the presence

of

W

the "

111

lawyers Naidoo

of COSATU ,

was held

as described

above .

solution

to the

a peaceful hands .

in which we were is

This

not

the way to

go

about

that we

of violence

problems

Jay

Mr.

by

accused

have

finding on

our

who those to devise channels for communication in which need give information are safeguarded and we need immediate verification and we must confine whatever we do and decide on to be mechanisms To act on uncertified consequences of verified information . of the is to spread rumour and to validate it in the eyes rumour

We

people .

We all need command post's out in the field among the people which participating organisations have made safe places by their the them joint endeavour to establish such command posts and to keep safe . There should be project development in the form of spreading these web of

6.

safe command control .

The

There

is

control little

posts

in an ever

of propaganda doubt

that

that

for

more

spurs

example

comprehensive

on

the

the

interlinked

killing

exile's in oppressed

ANC Mission

in

broadcasts are aimed at heightening the anger of the order to motivate people to kill for political purposes within framework the so - called armed struggle and so - called people's war .

This propaganda

for

killing

must

cease .

should be a complete moratorium on public mud - slinging and should be an even more stringent moratorium on behind - the-

There there

scenes private mud - slinging the pursuit of financial , material or diplomatic support for party political programmes . Those who want to work with me to stop the killing must cease making the kind of killing noises that acts of killing .

fan the

Your

am

Grace ,

if

I

flames

satisfied

of violence

that

your

and that

initiative

spur on the

is part

of

genuine endeavour to bring about a cessation of hostilities between Black and Black in the Natal / KwaZulu area by the answers you give me to my urgent questions , I would probably suggest an amalgamation of the kind of things you had in mind and the kind of things I had in mind to form one initiatives .

initiative

out

of the

two

separately

Perhaps time in

the two which

initiatives arise because there is a a winning initiative should now be

believe

that we

on

this

part

of the

African

continent

conceived

ripeness I

of do

could be

at

made .

the dawning of a new era in which peace initiatives and the politics of negotiation start seriously undercutting the reasons many advance for adopting violent stances . There could be a possible undercutting of the rationale for revolutionary war and armed insurrection .

we Your Grace , if these things could be what I hope they will be , what they must I believe do everything that we can to make them do ought If peace initiatives and non - violent programmes the ultimately fail , I do not want them to fail because I gave up

112

ghost and predicted in non - violence . I action

is no

I

cautious

am

finality through violence because want to pursue non - violence until

I

lost faith non -violent

longer possible .

for

reasons

I

have

explained

that

my

is

leadership

not a one - man show , it is a shared leadership . I am also cautious because Inkatha has done everything and supported all initiatives to end the violence in Natal . mentioning I have been specific in some of these initiatives to you , some of which Your Grace was personally involved in . I signed the Statement you and your fellow Church leaders asked me to sign immediately without any hesitation it . and yet we only heard months later that the UDF also endorsed We

did not know who

We then

signed

a

signed

Peace

it

on behalf of the UDF .

Accord with COSATU

in

Once again

1988.

the

leadership of the UDF excluded of the fact that violence

themselves from this Accord in spite in Natal affects UDF and Inkatha even supporters more than it affects COSATU members or supporters in the Greater Pietermaritzburg Area and beyond .

So that given the discussed , Inkatha

above background and once the matter am I almost certain is likely to

has been react as

follows :

1.

That Inkatha is no longer prepared to participate in any further peace initiatives unless it is assured that the UDF is willing to fully participate in such initiatives . In this regard Inkatha would need to be informed of the leaders and members of the UDF who will participate and will demand proof that such leaders and members have the mandate of the UDF to participate . Again I say this in view of our past efforts to be involved with the leadership of the UDF even at the level of their President , Mr. Archie Gumede .

2.

Inkatha

is

also

not

likely

to

be

involved

in

such

initiatives

unless there is proof that the leadership of the ANC Mission - inExile support it . It must be remembered that the President of the ANC Mission - in - Exile , Mr. Oliver Tambo , has called on Black South Africans " to make the townships ungovernable " . can I imagine that Inkatha will not be enthusiastic about participating in any initiative unless the ANC withdraws that order along the lines I have already to be actively involved with Inkatha Natal . Unless these things happen , will

3.

feel

that

it

participate

in any

I

that

also

feel

is a waste further

once

these

suggested . They must agree in the peace initiative I feel that Inkatha members to of time and effort for Inkatha

initiative . matters

have

been adhered to to

the

satisfaction of Inkatha , we could then begin to talk for example about Convenors for any peace initiative . I am almost certain that Inkatha would demand that the Panel of Convenors be elected namely by the two factions that are involved in the violence , ANC /UDF / COSATU alliance on one side and Inkatha on the other side . For example , Your Grace suggests that I can nominate two or three other names on to the Panel of Convenors . This left me flummoxed .

I wondered whether

I

should assume

that

the

rest

of

113

the

appointed

have already been

members

appointed

or

the

by

It would be fair if half the members Alliance ? ANC/ UDF / COSATU not I do are elected by each one of the two warring factions . being s Convenor such on insist would that Inkatha think warring the of each of or supporters members necessarily

4.

I

long

as

factions , further

as

they

think that

the

enjoy

if we

are

confidence

aiming

peace initiative that each President and should also be actively involved

of both

for any success

factions .

in

any

should be fully consulted in each and every step to

set the peace process in motion . From past experience Inkatha has become convinced that no peace initiative will ever succeed if it is unilaterally imposed and does not originate from members of the warring factions . I think it would have been a good idea if Your Grace and your fellow Convenors had first fully discussed the scheme with me , as President of Inkatha , and a few of my colleagues in the Central any Committee , before concrete suggestions such as those contained in Your letter to me were made . I would have recommended a discussion with the well .

Presidents

of the

Grace's similar

ANC/UDF / COSATU alliance

as

Your Grace talked of a Committee of Convenors , and also a Committee of Concern and a Committee of Facilitators . This seems to be like a preconceived structure and having there a decision on the names for

the Committee

of Convenors

preconceived the structure then knows ) ( by whom only God alone or on which I am to add two three

names to the list . Quite obviously who one depends on the nature of the task to be

chooses to performed

circumstances

to be

in which difficulties will

have

is difficult to choose people to do we know not what . very careful not again to be drawn into yet another will not put myself in positions tiger who has no teeth .

in which

I

overcome .

what the It

I have to be failure . I

am seen as

Your Grace , your proposals to me and the outline you indicate that non -violent action is still

do and

a

paper

of my thinking possible and

to we

should now seek unity between those who are prepared to serve their fellow human beings through non - violent tactics and strategies .

Yours sincerely ,

G.

BUTHELEZI

Chief Minister and President

of KwaZulu

MANGOSUTHU

of Inkatha

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , we do not suffer from decisionmaking indigestion this in House or are in Inkatha . we If presented with something on which we have to make up our minds , we table it , we debate it and we come up with an answer . When I tell Archbishop Hurley that I will consult with my people he be assured that I am in a position to do so . I will do so here today in respect of the initiative that Archbishop Hurley has presented us even if it is an initiative which may have to been channelled

114

There

know not whom .

him from we

through meeting Central

on the 28th April and I will Committee on that occasion .

is

consult

a my

Central

Committee the colleagues in

Before this House can respond adequately to the initiative produced by Archbishop Hurley , or channelled to us through him , Members must hear what I have to say about the initiative I had in mind . The basic

outline

of my

thinking

is

contained

in the

letter

I

addressed

to Archbishop Hurley which I have just read to this House . to be tersely stated and I would now like to expand a little

each

I

of

the

points

pointed out possibly

could

could be

made .

which a peace initiative one in which we would have achieving ourselves the task of

to Archbishop Hurley that succeed would have to be

to have defined what

I

on

objectives

achieved

and

set

to gain accumulative

advantages .

have I repeatedly said to South African State Presidents , Prime Ministers and members of the South African Cabinet that a negotiating agenda is vitally important . I have said that I cannot get on to a train unless I know the train's destination . I have called for a Statement of Intent because I need to know towards what

position we

are

actually negotiating .

issues and In the politics of negotiation about constitutional about the kind of government and the kind of society we are going of have in this country , to we need clearly to define statements who common purpose between the oppressor and the oppressed . oppose is a

Right Prime

apartheid can only act with those within apartheid if there joint commitment to achieve something acceptable to both . at the outset of President Botha's term of office as then Minister ,

I

appealed

for

a

Statement

of

Intent .

In the

Pietermaritzburg situation there are battle lines which have ANC , clearly drawn and which clearly divide Inkatha from the the UDF and COSATU . It is simply a question of there being a and situation of conflict between the ANC/UDF / COSATU alliance Inkatha . isolate

It is the ANC / UDF / COSATU alliance which has attempted to Inkatha and it is this alliance which has mounted the

violence to become Statement separate Inkatha

against Inkatha which has resulted in violence spreading Mr. Speaker , endemic . Honourable Members , we need a of Intent that the ANC , the UDF and COSATU can sign as organisations which is also a Statement of Intent which

can sign .

1S A grand statement of some future idyllic ill - defined democracy no good . In the circumstances we face , we need to declare common purpose in achieving specific goals in short term to make more near difficult medium term goals possible and to make the We must do that which we impossible longer term goals manageable . can now do and we must do what we now can do now .

e S

མ i

115

I

said

to

Archbishop Hurley there

is

obviously

no grand

quick-

S fix solution and anyone with any political acumen will know that no conference of leaders not involved with the actual violence on the ground can wave violence away . It is therefore that I have also made

the

working

One

point

in the

of

the

that

in whatever

communities

problems

most

we

we

do

we

must

concentrate

on

directly involved .

always

have

faced

in

the

Pietermaritzburg Area and other areas to which violence is that we are there on the ground . We are organised lines of communication but the UDF and the ANC are not

Greater

has spread , and we have there with

any us . They are not there at the local community level in effective way . Their role has been to fan the flames of violence , on to provide the people with backing for violence and to unleash control as they the people small bands who move out of any disappear into the Small groups of indistinguishable

first bush or into the comrades and small and

both

are

first darkness of night . bands of thugs are or UDF any ANC outside

quite

control .

is It Inkatha

because are

this

is

effective

in

fact

the

case ,

and

in our decision - making

it

is because

and

have

we

in

lines

of

communication ,

that we show the UDF and the ANC up wherever we are on the ground . We know what we do ; we know what we organise ; we know that we do not initiate the so - called vigilante groupings and backlashes . These emerge by the people other black who scream enough

is enough and who get

up

and

do

about

something

Speaker , Honourable Members , these groupings have groupings which will bedevil a peace process . as into being when people are or are driven beyond their so ceases we backlashes .

comes

would have no so - called The problem for the ANC

very

never worried me come They only

forced to defend life , limb and property limits . If the ANC / UDF endeavour to do vigilantes , we would have no and the UDF would then be that

we would be there as an organised force and they because they do not have our organised force .

This

Mr.

it .

close to the

kernel

of the

would not

problem

be

we

there

face

in

mounting peace initiatives . I say to the ANC in particular , and I also say to the UDF : start preparing for real black political power in the future by working on the ground among the people doing what the people want to be done . Peace organisations capable of by taken the

people who are

Committee

drawn

meetings ,

into

only succeed if ground amongst

violence .

talk - shops ,

nothing if they do not arise among the people . Peace people from on high . Peace involved in violence .

initiatives can working on the

seminars ,

conferences will

help

out of work initiatives

that is done on the ground cannot be poured down on

initiatives

must

come

from

the

people

116

I

also draw attention

to the

need

for

massive

backing

for a

peace

initiative . There must be a joint command in the peace initiative in a joint endeavour backed by resources held in common if there is going to be any prospect of success . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , we now matured in politics . We cut our political teeth a long time good intentions trampled on by opportunity

ago and we know beyond all doubt that the kind of which Archbishop Hurley's letter conveys are every sieze political organisations prone to

to mass

power

advantages

for

.

themselves .

I am just not prepared to be drawn into a peace initiative mounted by the UDF and the ANC for the purposes of enhancing their power

which

are

not real

achieve ascending

peace

initiatives

but

power through new ways

are

་

advantages on the ground . They tried to gain ascendancy over us by battering us . That clearly is not going to work . We are not so naive as to be drawn into peace initiatives organised by others only new attempts

and means .

I also insist that there must be massive backing through resources those that involved in the peace initiative hold jointly because hideous things of the one about the Greater Pietermaritzburg and violence the violence which has spread elsewhere is that the ANC and the UDF have campaigned for international support by making Inkatha villains of the piece . support the They have gained by

*

blaming us . They have treated us like pariahs . I do not mean that we cease to differ . We can disagree without being disagreeable . There is no need to sneer at each other , to villify and to poor vitriol

on each other .

Name - calling

has

now to

cease ;

the only test of whether anybody is sincere willingness to declared is a statements for expeditions That together .

now to

and

A

these in agreeing with international on go

i

mud - slinging

has

cease

doing real and solid support for something we are ultimately is the only litmus test of sincerity in

co -operation which

is being

proposed

by Archbishop

t

Hurley .

Quite independently of the political issues I have just pointed to , a real peace initiative on the ground will have to be substantially funded and there will have to be very effective infrastructures set up to cope with the movement of people and and to curb further outbreaks of violence . will have and will

goods to back up peace The peace initiative

to establish many many presences in different localities succeed if it is to be some shoe - string not kind of

budget .

V There

is

a

great

deal

of

confusion

about what

is

actually

taking

place on the ground where violence has become endemic in Natal and KwaZulu . There is propaganda campaign and counter propaganda campaign ; there is rumour ; there is deliberate distortion and there distortion which arises so naturally when people are terrorised and live in desperate fear .

117

Peace initiatives must rest on the people in such a way that and people are

persuaded

valid information being facts and realities are

to believe

that

the

truth

presented to made known

is the

truth .

raged around war of words in the battle for minds which has The has ravaged political consciences and distorted political violence views . disseminating information large - scale need a will We Every approach possible should programme for factual information . TV should be used ; newspapers The radio should be used ; be used . of used and pamphlets should be used in their hundreds should be thousands .

I do not believe one to rest on realities suggest , is taken

can over - stress the need for peace and for them to deal with facts .

initiatives I therefore

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that whatever initiative What should include a very effective monitoring process .

use is it to anybody when thug attacks thug for the UDF to scream abuse at Inkatha or for Inkatha to accuse the UDF ? In the kind of areas , which become endemic in many it violence has is very There must difficult at times to say who is responsible for what . be a did complete moratorium on blaming others for violence they not commit . circumstances their proper

This moratorium , however , in which acts of violence are source .

We

need monitoring

-

should exposed

effective

exist within and traced monitoring .

to need the need disseminate information to people and to curb then and control formulated to clearly be must monitor We have propaganda that has the end effect of spurring on killing . highest are the in who truth that those tragic the face to Blacks radio and newspapers are not in controlling TV , positions and write They the Black - on - Black confrontations . in involved

The

am I view . is going on from an outsider point of what present were editors sub or editors news or quite convinced that if editors aware of the extent to which they participated in propagating Black would they Black by the way in which they report events , killing They just do not know the damage they hang their heads in shame . political black they are not involved in the violent because do situation . somebody inflaming in the UDF or the ANC sets about people with the hope that they would kill me and members of Inkatha , they choose their words carefully . They spread anger and disgust in the

When

lies they tell . simply because

For some news editors these lies are newsworthy they are statements from people in positions of

authority in political organisations . For news editors they are simply extravagantly worded points of view . however , In reality , they are

participating

in the

build up of a climate

The UDF and the ANC propagandists know what know what I am saying is true . There must slinging .

Political

initiative

and the

propaganda

operations

must

be

undertaken

kept

of

killing .

they are doing and they be a moratorium on mudquite

under

its

out

of the

name .

peace

118

Mr.

Speaker ,

I

had to be

honest

would consult with my colleagues this House but I predicted that

with Archbishop

Hurley .

I

said

I

in Inkatha and with the Members of after consultation , it would be

clear that Inkatha is no longer prepared to participate in any further peace initiatives unless it is assured that the UDF is willing to fully participate in such initiatives . It is the UDF who has most attacked Inkatha on the ground in South Africa . It is they who have been the least willing to share any platform with Inkatha The or to enter into any joint venture with Inkatha . choice must remain theirs . If they want a peace initiative , they must choose to work with Inkatha - formally and officially . If they do not want to work with Inkatha then they must tell the whole world that they are not prepared to work with Inkatha in real peace initiatives .

I

also be predicted to Archbishop Hurley that Inkatha would not involved in initiatives with the UDF unless we were convinced that the ANC Mission in exile is not talking out of both sides of its mouth . On the one hand it calls for peace in the Pietermaritzburg Area and other areas in Natal where violence has broken out , and in the same breath calls for making South African ungovernable and spreading violence from black areas to white Cuba , United States , the USSR , Angola and

areas . Ever since the South Africa achieved first accord on the Angola / Namibia situation , the ANC knew to it was going lose bases there again and and again

their that

reiterated dedicated people Natal expect

that

it

is

going

this whole year

to

of

escalate

1989

to

If the

armed

ANC

continues

because

it

is

to

treat

us

It has

and to drawing

spread of violence in really What can we

out of situations in which or have anything to do with

as

ultimately the

conflict .

escalation

into its programme of violence . The and KwaZulu would suit ANC purposes . from them?

They too make political propaganda refuse to share platforms with us

well

the

that

pariahs ,

ANC's

the

UDF will

bags which the

UDF

do

they us . so

as

carries .

I also told Archbishop Hurley that representation of Inkatha on one side and the ANC /UDF / COSATU alliance on the other side , must be Speaker , Mr. equitable in any committee that is established . Honourable Members , it is just political balderdash there being four organisations in a committee each

to think about with similar

representation and to hope that such a committee could be a working committee . The ANC / UDF /COSATU alliance has drawn the lines between Inkatha and themselves . Representation across that line must be side equitable . There are only two parties - Inkatha on the one and

the

alliance

representation

I

on

in any

the

other

committee

that

side . is

Both

must

have

equal

established .

lastly made the point , Speaker , Mr. to Archbishop Hurley unless the president of every organisation involved - the ANC , UDF , COSATU and Inkatha - back the initiative and are drawn personal involvement in it , there can be no hope of success .

that the into The

119

initiative

cannot be something that takes place while presidents It in another direction and pretend it is not taking place . must be endorsed by presidents and they must be involved in it . look

A

Mr.

point ,

small

Speaker ,

in Archbishop Hurley's

that

report

must

I

that letter ,

he

to

about

talks

this a

is

House

Committee

of

a Committee of Concern and a Committee of Facilitators . Convenors , an clearly was there to the fact that attention I drew When was which somebody somewhere by conceived structure elaborate to presented and himself

he corrected immediately accomplis , us as a fait he that said that there was a slip in dictation and

should

have

only

talked

about

Committee

a

of Convenors and not

That , however , is a small point Mr. Committee of Concern . there committees or whether are three there Whether fact still remains that we are presented the Committees , accomplis

fait

with

regard

to

the

kind of

Speaker . are two with a that

structures

a

are

envisaged .

Mr. the

Honourable Speaker , If the House House .

Members , endorses

I present this broad thinking to we will have to these thoughts ,

committee charged with the responsibility of drafting more an presenting and with the responsibility of proposals the with initial formulation which we could table for discussion I ask the House to debate Speaker , Mr. the UDF and COSATU . ANC ,

set up a detailed

continue

Mr.

because

issue

this

it

and

to bounce

is

a

I will

living have

issue to

now in which

continue

balls

will

responding .

Speaker ,

Honourable muddied Members , it is in muddled and water that extravagant protest politics thrives best . situation in which Archbishop of write Hurley can a serious letter to me repeating the kind of proposals that have been made before that have not worked , is the kind of situation in which other futile things are done . There is a whole range of mediacreated celebrity leaders who are constantly busy muddying the Constituency political waters still further . leaders with membership based organisations which have electoral procedures and political kind The

which ensure suffer most

We

find

that

the

people

from these

muddy

are

led by leaders

political

the

people

waters .

ourselves

in the doubly some invidious position that So could actually make a contribution dare not do from away they would have to step out of the mud and

who

leaders because

colleagues and friends to do so . This is so sad because so much is I done . needed and there are so few who are doing what should be African was saddened by evidence of just how muddied the political water was when Mr. Zeph Mothopeng was released from jail . welcome On his release I immediately wrote to congratulate him and him as

a

black brother

as

follows :

120

" Kwa Phindangene " P.O. Box 1 Mahlabatini South Africa 3865

Mr. Zeph Mothopeng SOWETO .

2nd

December

1988

JOHANNESBURG . Dear Brother , It was with great released from prison . you back will be

joy that I

I

received the

am writing

to

news

you as

into open society . One day it will be a a free society because down through the

daughters of Africa have not been crushed by been intimidated out of being human beings

that

a brother

you

were

welcoming

free society , decades sons

racism . by the

and and

They have not inhumanity of

apartheid .

Black

South Africans now know that apartheid is doomed and never tire of telling the up and coming generation that they will live in a liberated South Africa because those who went before them did not bow to apartheid and resisted it in the way they did . To me the fact that apartheid is doomed vindicates the long line of black leadership involved in a multi - strategy approach to bring about the end of apartheid .

You will be as aware as I am that during lot of questioning by the up and coming before . There was a rejection of what rejection of those who had been doing

I

have

always been aware

that

in the

the mid - 1970's there was a generation about what went

had been done it .

end

and there was a

totality

it was the

of

black opposition to apartheid that would eradicate it . Were you to decade , in a position to read what I have said for more than a ground you would see that as a black leader struggling on the I always have always called for a multi - strategy approach and I have remembered those who should be honoured , regardless of the organisation they belong

to .

I

Nelson

do

campaign

for

campaigned for his

Dr.

release ,

have invariably demanded the by name in my demands for the

It

release release

release release ,

but in

I

have never isolation . I

of both himself and yourself of all political prisoners .

of come out particular joy that you have so not is heal your that th am , however , saddened to hear We . you stre will He that Lord ngth good our pray to en

therefore

I prison . good and I

Mandela's

or anybody's

gives me

need you to bring your considerable experience into the whole peace We to now to look to doing what must now be done have process . eradication With the final unit produce a future ed South Africa . South of we have to look at the kind now assured , apartheid of . Africa we will live in after apartheid

3

121

Of one prevails

ideology thing I am quite sure and that is that whatever whatever and system of government we have under which

South Africa be

is

finally

ruled ,

achieved unless there

is a

nothing national

will

last

will which

and

nothing

runs

across

will race

groups to make whatever there is work . This thought , I believe , can act as a great unifying thought . No black leaders can believe that a united will South by Africa not be needed whatever government I

prevails .

respect you

principles .

for the You

way you

have been willing to suffer for your been uncompromising in your commitment .

have

Whatever the future brings and whatever role you yourself choose to play in the circumstances in which fate has now thrust you , it is my hope that you will add to the forces are that working for reconciliation .

Strength to you

MANGOSUTHU G. Chief Minister and

President

in

the years

BUTHELEZI of KwaZulu of

Inkatha

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Khumalo , Our official

conveyed message

my that

ahead .

Members , I was very grateful when Ms. Zora urban representative in the Transvaal ,

letter to Mr. Mothopeng to him and brought he had said it would be nice to see me . I

attend a function in Johannesburg in any event for me to make a detour to see Mr. Mothopeng 1988 which I did .

and it was on the 7th

back a had to possible December

When I saw him it was in the company of others and we talked about many things - Dr. Seme whom we both knew , about Fort Hare where we both spent some time furthering our education and about the need unity . for It was a relaxed discussion and during the visit handed Mr. Mothopeng a cheque for R2,000 from Inkatha as a gift of for " cleansing " money someone who had been incarcerated for So long .

It was the money of simple folk , ordinary members of Inkatha , that we handed to him . Inkatha does not receive massive donations from abroad . It is Inkatha's card - carrying members who pay into the coffers of Inkatha and it was from this money that we took R2,000 give Mothopeng . Mothopeng to Mr. Both he and Mrs. expressed gratitude and said so in so many words and they were visibly moved by the

gift

from ordinary folk .

that I was therefore hurt and astounded to read in the Weekly Mail to said that he could not accept the money we had brought only him and had given it to the needy . I am now saddened in remembrance of this report . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , it is the

kind of thing

that

happens

in muddy

political

waters .

There

is

122

clarity ,

lack of

is

there

confusion ,

there

are

mistaken

identities

and there is conflicting demands placed on people . I just want to Mothopeng put on record that I have never had a quarrel with Mr. on He was and I do not now have a quarrel with him . released humanitarian grounds

I

am not

attacking

deploring kind of

and

Mr.

I

believe

Mothopeng

we

should all

in making

the

points

from the released .

him gently .

I

make .

I am

a South African political state of affairs in which this welcome every incident can happen . I will continue to

regardless political prisoner who is released , she to which he or may have belonged or Political

treat

prisoners struggle ,

of the organisation still belong . may

are my black brothers and sisters who suffer and them when we should honour they are

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , when Mr. Harry Gwala was released , also I wrote to him expressing our joy that he was back with his too loved ones and would be cared for . He humanitarian grounds and we wish him everything wrote

to him as

was released the of best .

on I

follows :

" KwaPhindangene " P.O. Box 1 Mahlabatini South Africa 3865

2nd

Mr. Harry Gwala KWADAMBUZA PIETERMARITZBURG

Dear

December

1988

.

C

Brother ,

I am writing from prison .

to you to express my joy that you have been released I am sad to see from press reports that your health

is not

I pray

you

good .

that

you will

feel the

strength in God

holding

up .

You are a son of Africa ; a many who have suffered in

son of South Africa and one of the great the process of bringing about a better

South Africa . Some suffer out of jail ; some suffer in jail and it is the suffering of the masses that has inspired people like you to do what you have done . You are one of those few in the history of the struggle who was sentenced to life imprisonment . I say few knowing

that

even one would be

far

6

too many .

I also want to say how encouraged I was by the remark you made that you did not believe your release was motivated only by concern for your health . I have such a clear vision of apartheid being totally doomed . It could be turns of events but it how the cookie will it will do so .

finally can not

eradicated by a number of different last . Even if we don't quite know

finally crumble ,

we

know beyond

all

doubt

that

1

123

up

never tire of telling Black and coming generation ,

South Africans , and particularly the crumble that apartheid is going to

because of the totality of black opposition concerned in the mid - 1970's about spreading

to it . I was perceptions among

very the

younger generation that what had been done before was useless and that the fathers and forefathers of the young people had to be The rejected . impression was created by some people as if there youth a Quick - Fix to our oppression and suffering , which the leadership discovered had and which generations of black before them had

failed to

discover .

I have always seen that could be eradicated . I one the

there is no have always

one way in which seen that there was

apartheid not only

force working for the circumstances which have now emerged certainty of the demise of apartheid . It is everything that

everybody opposed to apartheid has done that has the force which is pushing apartheid before it .

in the

end

mounted

In do a way nobody can be right all the time and in a way what we which that is right must be sufficiently right to balance out that is done which is wrong . It is the it matters and is in the totality ensure errors .

that

the

errors which are

totality of the of the struggle

committed do

not

that must

struggle we that become

fatal

It is to me symbolically important that Mr. Mothopeng Zeph yourself were released at the same time - one being from the and one from the ANC . I am quite sure that this symbolism was contrived by the South African Government but it is there .

and PAC

were

ANC

sent

objectives

to at

prison a

time

for

when

the

what

the

you did in

ANC was

not

that

pursuit

strong

of

on the

not You

ground

in South Africa in organisational terms . Mothopeng , who was one of the few old - guard national executives of the PAC , never went PAC into exile in the mid - 1970's to do what he could to resurrect forces .

rising . While this was happening Black Consciousness forces were BPC was rising ; Inkatha was coming into being and all sorts of initiatives were taking place to revitalise the whole political There was a totality of something happening . scene .

We must not earnestly for

lose that totality and that is why I a multi - strategy approach in which each

each can best do in their own circumstances . because I did not intend writing a political

appeal So does what

I must stop , treatise .

though ,

again I am just writing simply to express my real joy that you are will with us and that the struggle may be taking a new turn which It be a final turn into whatever finally eradicates apartheid . much really is my prayer that people like you who have suffered so the for cause will be satisfied with what Black South Africans eventually produce

as

an alternative

am very pleased to hear that Dr. I to prison and I hope that returned being put

in a

place

of safety will

to

apartheid .

will not Nelson Mandela the statements made about turn

out

to be

statements

be him

about

124

his release . Never before has so much depended Mandela Nelson certainly is one of the few depends .

We all

pray

for his

upon so few and Dr. on much So which

release .

My heart bled for you and the while you were incarcerated .

Gwala passed away family when Mrs. Please accept my and family's my

belated

the

condolences

of

One

the

to you and feel

I

pangs

children . and daily ,

intensely ,

is

the

violence

between Blacks in the Greater Pietermaritzburg area , which involves and Inkatha . I have tried to do all the ANC / UDF - Cosatu alliance , Greater the in peace contribute towards to possible is that Pietermaritzburg example Peace the There for been , has , . area I feel signed by Cosatu in Pietermaritzburg with Inkatha . Accord the unless violence Accord can never really stop the this that leadership Peace the of the ANC and the UDF also identifies with as feel must share this as a pain which I know you I Accord . intensely as

I

1

‫ג‬

e

do .

you than strength greater prayer that you will find my is It dreamed of while you were in prison now that you are in the bosom of your

Yours

family who will

in

the

cause

MANGOSUTHU G. Chief Minister and President

of

now be

able

to

care

for you .

freedom ,

BUTHELEZI of KwaZulu of Inkatha

M Mr.

Gwala

replied

as

follows :

02-01-1989

The Chief Minister of KwaZulu and President of Inkatha KwaPhindangene PO Box 1 Mahlabathini

1 3865

Mtwana

a I

received

your warm letter of joy on my release from prison .

Your

letter touches

some

of the

2nd December

important

1988

aspects

expressing

that

affect

your

the African people . There is no doubt that oppression manifests itself in different ways and therefore demands " multi - strategies . " In a society divided into social classes , race , colour and nationality , the people will respond to this oppression in the way they feel it . It is therefore not surprising to find these multi - strategies in an attempt to destroy this oppression which in our case is apartheid .

125

of The great question in South Africa is to understand the essence apartheid , which I have no doubt that leaders like you understand very well . You will remember the day when we met for the first time in the ANC offices in Durban in 1950. You were recently expelled ( if I still remember well ) from Fort Hare University for opposing

the Governor

General

of South Africa

from visiting

you

as

students of that University . We met as you would remember , under very interesting circumstances . The oppressed people of South Africa were , for the first time , going to have a national stoppage of work , and the day was going to be observed by business people , schools and religious organisations . Our task at the time was to make this message reach nook and corner of South Africa . To achieve this , leaflets every were distributed and meetings were held throughout the country . You were

part

and parcel

The national regime from

observance of this call implementing apartheid ,

setbacks did They rallied determination

of this .

not result around to to

in disillusionment among the pursue the bitter struggle

There

has been oversimplification do

capital . rising Party

see

While

it

the

Afrikaner today is

enjoys the

as white

Nationalist

of apartheid among

domination Party was at

first

capital

in

circles

some on

anchored

monopoly

concerned

capital and farming interests , the a direct representative of monopoly

support of white business

international

oppressed . with full

destroy apartheid .

which

not

the did not stop apartheid as we see it today . The

community in South Africa

consolidating white

against

apartheid

intensifies .

The

Nationalist regime . rising out of their

deceive

classes as the enemy tactics of the

tended to confuse the oppressed into thinking that would destroyed be by the people in collaboration " reforming " which are

and

domination .

The Nationalist Government has created various agencies to some people . It has made efforts to create some social among the oppressed which should act as shock absorbers struggle

with

Nationalist capital and

apartheid with a

The multi - strategies of the people be objective conditions should not

allowed to make the people fight among themselves , each claiming that his strategy is the only one that should be used . The multistrategies pursued by the people should not make them resort to of violence is the

in an attempt

to

show that

this or

that

strategy

only one .

The bloodshed that has been seen in the Western Cape , Eastern Cape , Transvaal and Natal should make every patriot worried . His worry struggle this make should him/her determined to bring an end to against

one another

and direct

the

struggle

Pietermaritzburg

to the

enemy

itself .

the in July 1987 I was met by people oppressed the took place among that conflict bitterest It was alarming to read from the press that guns were themselves . being being used freely without the perpetrators of this slaughter One did not read of any effort from our leadership to apprehended .

When

I

arrived

in

126

The situation became confused bring to an end this conflict . in the scene when murder and maiming was claimed to man new been done in defence of this or that name .

to a have

Finally when all slaughter and maiming have been done we shall as oppressed still sit down to talk and bind our wounds . The efforts of COSATU and Inkatha aimed at ending the violence would not succeed unless is . There is mobilise

our

all of us explain to our people who the real enemy a great need not only to end this violence but to

people

against

the oppressor .

I should like to thank you for the late condolences on the death of my wife . It is one of those necessary ends which are always bitter to the next of kin . We all hope that in dying one must be able to say

that

" My

life

was dedicated to the

noble

cause

of

mankind . "

Respectfully yours ,

T.H.

GWALA

is in the muddled and muddied It these conflicting one gets that

waters political South African a is really responses to what

totally non - political welcoming back of brothers from jail . always found that when I travel abroad a number of things come into I Mothopeng rejects our R2,000 now but Mr. perspective . better tive y construc and brotherl have always found it possible to have exile . discussions with members of the Pan Africanist Congress in When I go to I was always on good terms with the late Mr. Leballo . PAC members who were frontLondon I have cordial discussions with I think executives in this country before they fled abroad . Prince Mahomo , Nana Mr. Ngcobo and here of people like Mr. was Sobukwe Robert Mr. . e others and Velekhaya Shange , Mr. Ntloedib

on

good terms with me until he died . leaders celebrity and opportunists demonstration at his funeral to hide

And yet there were political cheap a orchestrated who murder their real efforts to

I remember so well how anomalous it was when I which failed ! like still having constructive discussions abroad with people ANC be to claiming people by at Oliver Tambo and being sniped political the That is followers in South Africa . and members me , was Mr.

Alice

in Wonderland

in which black

politics

is

taking

place !

The muddled and muddied South African political waters also create kind of circumstances in which anybody can say anything and somewhere said . In Vogue

there will be an echo of something else the muddle anything goes and there are

thinking

as band - wagon

politics

rolls

on

and

somebody else changes in inpersonalities

come and go .

There is the in - vogue alternative this , alternative that . There is alternative education and there is alternative civic government , to and alternative other things . We even have alternates real academics like Gerhard Mare . He and other academics can say what

127

like

they

long

So

as it sounds

impressive

and

it

pleases

the

quarters from which they gain their credibility . It can only be in South Africa that somebody who claims to be an academic , and is in fact recognised to be an academic by many , who could present the thinking Gerhard Mare muddled that " Critical Arts " Vol.4 . No.4 / 5

We an

have suffered before from the academic . In this article ,

produced in

his

article

in

mental antics of this alternate to however , The he excels himself .

whole article is an attack on education in KwaZulu . While we Mr. grapple with the problems of educating our young generation , Mare snipes at us for not having broken away from the limitations of the past . The vein of his remarks lead one to believe that he we thinks could have done so by now and that we inadequacies of black education to bolster our

are using the Party political

purposes .

His are

article making

to

is

in particular

enable

our young

a

vicious

attack on the

attempts

we

people to walk tall through our Good

Citizenship courses of instruction . He statement that " a study of the syllabus

comes out with the shocking indicates that Inkatha , the

cultural liberation movement revived by counterpart evolved now its of the

Chief Gatsha Nationalist

Christian National

Mr. Speaker , even academic academic informal outcry values

Buthelezi , has Government's

Education . "

Honourable Members , I pretensions can have

am astounded that anybody with such clearly discernible non-

double standards . If you take both the formal education of the young in Britain , you will find against

the

British

and world views

to the

cultural next

passing

on of

the and no human

attitudes

and

generation .

with games come into a childhood filled children British Young ' Ring a ring They are passed on . which date back for generations . cultural of British part the games are other and roses ' of heritage . British children are brought up in a world which starts British children are made with Grimm's Fairy Tales . Irish children are made aware traditions . British heritage are made

within the broader British culture . the Scottish aware of Welsh culture ,

into Scottish children by the

passing

aware of their of their Irish

children The Welsh turned children are

on of Scottish

culture .

The of

broad British commitment to democracy and fair play and a view Great Britain's role in the world based on a history of the is passed on from generation to generation . country ,

Unquestionably British children are taught what to think , think and they are taught to be good citizens of Great That want

is all very well and fine for Britain but when we in to teach our children to value their Zuluness in the

identity they have as Mare's of this world .

South Africans ,

we

are

how to Britain . KwaZulu broader

lambasted by the Gerry

128

undermines in our Good Citizenship course which Africanism which there every is in true Zulu's great the supreme an breast . We create no conflict between overall In any patriotism towards South Africa and a pride in being Zulu . There

is nothing

decent society , Mr. Mare would have been lambasted by academics repute who would have argued that Mr. Mare as an alternative to academic brings

shame

of an

on all academics .

water political in this muddled and muddied South African this in people splash around stirring the mud up and it is have who tho by us muddied water that attacks are mounted against se and who nothing of great significance in their politics , achieved It

is

that

will

end up going

nowhere .

We even have the absurd situation where the ANC's executive sitting in Majesty Lusaka seriously attempts to drive a wedge between His the King , myself and the Zulu people by inviting him to go to Lusaka for discussions with them . This act of political desperation is just part of the muddled political ineptness which is thrown at us . This invitiation was extended to the King only a month or so ago .

when I was proud to be His Majesty's Chief Minister and uncle , I saw how angry he was that anybody would dare think of dividing him He was astounded that anybody would be so stupid that he have to Lusaka to invitation to go an possibly accept would Chief his while the ANC is lambasting with the ANC , discussions Minister

and uncle to the

in the way that

extent

have

gone

The

Zulu nation has

of even

I

am lambasted ,

plotting

my

and while they

murder .

rallied

and will continue to rally in the face of onslaughts from without and divisiveness from within . The Zulu nation is now more solid in its unity than it has been for decades . accumulating We are power advantages because we are doing that which needs

Mr.

to be done

Speaker ,

to establish

Honourable Members ,

real

power bases .

I again

say

political

power

is

only power when it is relevant to an ongoing political process . I we say again have concentrated on building power bases on the assumption that the armed struggle is not going to bring about any Utopia and that it is the bargaining power of Blacks in an ongoing multi - strategy approach which must be enhanced .

We have thus far kept our feet and the growth of my realists

been we have the ground ; all constituencies across and divide Black from Black

firmly on political

barriers apartheid has erected to Black from White shows that we have been analyses .

correct

in our

political

129

Inkatha before .

is in fact politically stronger today than it has ever been It could shed half of its members and still be politically Inkatha's numbers ; powerful . Its power does not come from its political

power comes

from

its

relevance

process in which the ruling National When things stronghold to another . We

are geared

I call changing

to

do

to the

Party move ,

ongoing

is being we will

political

driven from one move with them .

this .

on all my brothers and sisters political climates in the whole

in exile to be aware of Southern Africa and

of to

be

aware of changing international relations . Come home , I say . Re - join the struggle where it is going to be fought to finality here on Mr. B.J. the ground in this country . I pleaded with Vorster to declare an Amnesty for all in jail and in exile so that they

can

join

us

in

negotiations .

I plead for

this

even

today .

Members , Speaker , I again say that the political Mr. Honourable a multi - racial about country which will bring this in process process political the to in kind different be will democracy Africa . do just this in other parts of Southern employed to do turning organisa other yet see more and more will tions we brothers Our have decade . doing for more than a been sisters who are

Mr. that

Speaker , struggle matters .

and

out

in the

cold will

return

to

join

We what

and

us .

I do not care who they join when they return to the on the ground in this country . It is the struggle It is black unity across party political barriers

organisational barriers matters more than the Party .

that

matters . It is Let my brothers and

the

State that in sisters out All the cold return to whatever political quarter they judge best . ANC I say is that they must now return and all I say is that the the in Mission exile must re - think its position and must re - join in new dynamic way . If they struggle a have accumulated any that political power at all , let them employ that power in a way matters .

National the to advice my Members , Honourable Speaker , Mr. to now the ANC Mission in exile is for it to begin of Executive Africa South which a new the political process through in join will emerge . It is going to emerge from a process in which Inkatha the Democratic Party the National Party is involved ; is involved ; groupings in this legal existing other all which in and is involved country are involved .

I want through

to warn them against attempting to undermine the process which radical change will come and in this particular

I want to urge the ANC Mission in exile and the South Communist Party to recognise that the traditional leaders of this country will have a role to play in the administration and the implementation of government policy for as far as we can see

regard , African

130

ahead .

The

traditional

given a particular the other voices .

leaders

place

so

of this

that

country therefore

their voice

may be

should be

heard

amongst

revolutionary revolutionary government after Africa Throughout and attempted to by - pass traditional leaders but again government again had to re - incorporate them into their administrative machinery and had to rely on them to mobilise people without whom the government

We have been

could

not

implement

through dark days

in

its

policy .

this

last

decade

or

two .

We have

seen our brothers and sisters in exile attempt to thrash us because we have worked with traditional leaders in KwaZulu . We have been lambasted with all sorts of insults and all sorts of epithets have been hung around our necks . We have been called tribalist ; we have

been called

ethnocentric

and we have been

called

traitors

all

because we have our feet on the ground , we know the realities around us and know that as the struggle moves forward , traditional leaders must move forward with it .

Speaker , Honourable Members , we now see one of the worst forms the ANC's intention to pit black brother against black brother in which they are hoping to mobilise traditional leaders . Let me make it quite clear , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members . They do not intend mobilising traditional leaders for any other reason than to It is because KwaZulu is powerful and outside clobber their · domains of dictation that the ANC Mission in exile and the South African Communist Party want to establish new a tool of

Mr. of

divisiveness

As

amongst

those

who

support

Inkatha here

in

KwaZulu .

back as 1985 , the ANC called for new opportunities to be in the self - governing and TBVC states to the advantage of The call was to make contact with traditional leaders in order them party for to further the aims of the ANC . This all of traditional leaders holds severe threats to politicisation of us .

far

Traditional

leaders

by

are

tradition

consensus

figures .

The

best

public traditional leaders are the chiefs who can best sum up what in should leaders Traditional . it do and do they demands opinion people the amongst solidarity fact support anything which produces consensus that because it in this solidarity of a community decision inheres .

Once

a

consensus

community is

out

is

of

riddled with internal

the

question .

Mr.

conflict

Speaker ,

and

Honourable

dissent , Members ,

when I as a chief sit amongst my councillors and deliberate behalf of the people , I do so for the people . My closeness to people depends upon the people believing that their interests my

interests

and

believing

that

I

will

serve

them as

they

་ 4 1

on the are

attempt

1

131

Mr. realise their aspirations . Speaker , talking about because I myself am a traditional add the normal responsibilities of traditional

to

political

I I know what leader who has leadership to

am to my

responsibilities .

acumen political traditional leader requires wisdom as well as that teaches him that wisdom is by definition what the people want . They the are have the right to want what they want . people The have to The people have a right sovereign element in our society . own their They have a right to do have . they the aspirations

A

They have a right to choose their destiny and to yearnings . A traditional how they wish to move towards their destiny . is a facilitator of what the people want .

This

them powerful

makes

allies

any

to

democratic

choose leader

institution .

Democracy rests on people accepting majority decisions and majority Traditional consensus . of turn rest on degrees in decisions wherever therefore always be one facet of democracy leaders will The . soil African on people rural a operates amongst democracy political and leaders traditional between relationship symbiotic leaders and who are subjected to party political discipline be not should function , political leadership party a perform destroyed .

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

there

is a

particular

sense

in

which the danger of disrupting a local community producing internal schisms cannot be over - stated when we talk about rural people . One has only to look at places like Msinga to take the point that I making . It is because the people in that area lack consensus that kill they each other . Faction fighting is but a symptom of an underlying

deep

Mr. Speaker , the question constitution

malady where

consensus

cannot

be

reached .

Honourable Members , we in this House must really give I am addressing a lot of thought . Our KwaZulu makes provision the for presence of traditional

leaders in important .

this House , Mr. Speaker . They are here because They are not important because they are here .

When

look at

you

the

whole

process

of

opinion

formation

they are

and

the

process whereby solidarity in the pursuit of national objectives is anyone with any modicum of political sense will see reached , be must solidarity communal bringing about of techniques the adapted to

the

communities with which one

is

concerned .

Mr.

Speaker , Honourable Members , I sincerely hope that these kind issu of I raise from time to time do set trains of es thought in motion and do result in hard thinking in the quietness of Members ' own time with himself or herself . When I , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , am faced with the task of mobilising opinion in West Europe or North America , I heed the advice of the politically astute and the pundits of politics wherever I go . I do what has to be done

in

the

circumstances

I

find wherever

I

go .

132

When I country

have to of what

tackle the question of convincing Whites in this the right thing to do is , I must address Whites

within the framework of their world view and within the framework of their fears and their hopes . My message to them must be a own message that makes sense to them as they see things in their world .

When I address translate what This whole amounts to

Black I say

have to at home .

South Africans at a mass rally , I into the idiom in which they feel

messages idiom and directing advertiser Even any sense . for example , sell a product to ,

approach of attending to no more than plain common

will tell you that if you want to Jewish males in the upper income group you will have to word advertisement target that group . to You would not use the words to sell another product to the average white working

your same class

Advertising has found ways and means of establishing who hears what when you talk to them in an advertisement .

Traditional leaders in South Africa know what the people's idiom is and they know how to address the people in that idiom . Political activists can move into rural communities to sow discord . And Mr. create anarchy . They can introduce divisions . Honourable Members , is to increase the purpose

in direction

to move

We

in and to

have

places

they can do a lot more but what solidarity of a local community in which

harmony

destroy than to

seen this , in Africa .

Mr.

move

is

essential .

in

to

build

they and

They can Speaker ,

It

cannot give

is

do it

easier

up .

Speaker ,

Where ,

Mr.

Honourable Members , in numerous Speaker , are the traditional leaders

in Mocambique and Angola who should be ensuring that Frelimo and the MPLA are gaining the solidarity of the people in the pursuit of They are gone , national objectives ? Mr. Speaker , where party politics

This with There the

has

dumped

them and

abandoned

them .

deals it society . perceive

House must have a great deal of wisdom in the way the role of traditional leaders in politics and in will be a vulnerability here if we do not clearly things

I

am pointing

to .

It

is a

vulnerability which the

Mission in exile and the South African Communist attack and attack again .

Party will

ANC

t E 1

attack ,

1 When that

they called for activists to take advantage we them , provide leaders traditional

of could

openings have then

general anticipated already that they were not just making a vague In October 1986 a was intent behind the call . There statement . and ANC joint meeting of the National Executive Committee of the new were there that declared Council Military Political the self - governing the mobilisation and action in for possibilities held , were the discussions high level after and territories

133

of Traditional Leaders of South Africa · CONTRALESA - was founded in September 1987. chairman , It would appear that a a secretary treasurer , a and vice - secretary as well as additional

Congress

members were

elected

to

a

committee .

Honourable Members , I now hear that CONTRALESA met in was meeting the 24th February this year where the the and Inkatha , me of criticisms with almost totally preoccupied us , Mr. meeting was preoccupied with This Government . KwaZulu

Mr. Speaker , on Hillbrow

Speaker ,

Members .

Honourable

I go as far as to say that not say so because there myself , Inkatha come to anything is danger , Mr. attempts dying in

this is a very dangerous situation . I do is any real political threat either to

or the KwaZulu Government . nor will it ever break our

CONTRALESA will never There political power .

Speaker ,

to

break our the process .

not of losing political political power resulting in

power but of the actually people

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , the solidarity of this House , the House personal support and loyalty I receive from Members of this King , and the loyalty of Members of this House to His Majesty the cannot be legislated is not there . It is something generated bind people

for . Loyalty is something that is there or it It is something that emerges with experience . which by trust and the pursuit of objectives

together .

such Wherever we do have a large - scale system of trust and loyalty as we have in KwaZulu , you will always find that somewhere or other will there be a person who betrays trust and sets himself or up herself to do what he or she wants to do regardless of the feelings with a patronage

of colleagues . system of trust of the bonded .

Mhlabunzima Inkosi painfully aware that the

forefront

political

This is always possible when one works the not and where political patronage is

is such a Maphumulo Inkosi Maphumulo was

of attempts

power .

We

there was any danger the he established

to

will Members man . one of those who were

establish the

dealt with

Inkosi

Inala

Maphumulo

Party

be in

to break my

then not

because

from a political point of view and not because Maphumulo We dealt with Inkosi Inala Party .

then because he did the unthinkable thing of attempting to drag His drive a the King into party politics and he attempted to Majesty traditional His Majesty the King and His Majesty's between wedge Prime Minister and Chief Minister of KwaZulu .

It was the outrage of the Zulu nation which demanded we take action and we suspended Inkosi Maphumulo as a man unfit to hold the high has such office of an Inkosi of an area in KwaZulu which a history distinctive of solidarity in the face of attacks from without .

134

successfully was his deposition course history that That , Speaker , Mr. in court and he was re - instated . for opportunity real very a provided , Members Honourable way . would not have come to us in any other which reconciliation of is It challenged

Because he was re - instated we had to deal with him and we again had reconciliatory the fortunate opportunity of being able to take the steps which the spirit of trust and loyalty among ourselves made so natural

us .

for

The law made Inkosi Maphumulo one of us again and we dealt with him as such . The matter was openly discussed at a Caucus meeting of the was KwaZulu Legislative Assembly and his estrangement from us Mr. ended . We sorted out the problems amicably . He knows this , Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

with him gently whenever he

reality of the

The

knows

into

our

that we would have

dealt

midst .

reconciliation was proven when he insisted that December 11th open his offices on the

officially

I

specifically

and he

came

area Members will recall that I went to Inkosi Maphumulo's 1987. of this function and those who went with me will tell perform to Maphumul Inkosi o, hospitality with which we were received by the his He insisted that I went to and his family . Councillors his had we believe because he said that some people would not area On that day he specifically stood up to really buried the hatchet . tribe the and me with identify the members of his family at hospitality me with a bull on that occasion as Zulu presented best demanded . its very sad when I was

know why

I

only now that

Unfortunately

It was transported told sometime later

there are

that

later to my that it was

home and I was is It lost .

a lust

influence

happened .

people who

have

for

and

power

which is some kind of incurable disease and it appears Inkosi Maphumulo is one of these . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I received a memorandum dated the 24th August 1988 the from

UBuwbano

LwaMaNgwazi .

interfered

in the

It

would appear

be abusing his there believe

Gcumisa

well Inkosi Maphumulo could I but Aut Reg the of hor as Chairman ional ity to We have reason more to it than that .

from the

position is a lot

They alleged that Maphumulo Inkosi chieftainship and family affairs .

reports

that

political party the comradeship ,

Inkosi Maphumulo has again got the that believe outside is wanting to set himself up and itch fellowship ,

friendship and

love

of his

colleagues .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I believe it is true to say that I am cursed with the responsibility of being a bland reconciler in circumstances which it is far easier to pick in sides and take action

and

to hell

with the

consequences .

It

is my role to

sit

135

impartially as a reconciler and to bring warring factions This function is and to bring disputing parties together . centre of my political life . It is not easy , but I do it .

together the very

receipt On of the memorandum from the Gcumisa family and clan I immediately despatched a letter requesting confirmation that the committee wanted to air the matter in the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly and I said that if this was so , they could present their case to us at a Caucus meeting of the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly on the 23rd November 1988 .

when Members , we were all disappointed Honourable Speaker , Mr. the of did not show up for the Special Session Maphumulo Inkosi October 17th Legislative Assembly which commenced on the KwaZulu had did not surprise me that he did not come because I It 1988. the on receiving reports about the way he was capitalising been Greater the in arisen which had conflict of situation Area .

Pietermaritzburg

I

therefore

requested Mr.

S.E.

Armstrong ,

the

Secretary of

the

Department of the Chief Minister , to advise Inkosi Maphumulo of our were which allegations to an enquiry about the intention make Maphumulo The letter addressed to Inkosi him . against levelled reads as

follows :

15 November

1988

I, in my capacity as Secretary of the Department of Minister am empowered to make enquiry personally

the or

Inkosi Mhlabunzima Maphumulo c /o The Magistrate - KwaZulu Mpumalanga Private Bag Hammarsdale 3700

Dear

X1017

Sir

Whereas Chief

otherwise , of

as inter

I

may deem best , for the information of Cabinet , in faction dissatis between tribes and/or matters carrying on the administration of your area and /or of Law and Order and matters of import or concern

alia ,

relating to your the maintenance or conditions of unrest or dissatisfaction which you to report to the Government without delay ; Now therefore , 10h00 me at

you are hereby requested , on 23 November 1988 at my

are

required

and directed to report to office situated in the

holding Legislative Assembly Building , Ulundi for the purpose of you are the aforesaid enquiry and to remain in attendance until excused .

136

under penalty upon you of any shall by no means omit , of the penalties or measures provided for in terms of

And this you one or more the

provisions

Headmans '

Section

No.

8 of

11 ( 3 )

of

the

Chiefs '

KwaZulu

and

1974 .

faithfully ,

Yours

S.E.

Act ,

of

ARMSTRONG

SECRETARY

:

DEPARTMENT OF

THE

CHIEF

MINISTER

The above letter was countersigned as letter from the Secretary Dept. the Maphumulo

20th Nov

1988. "

nothing

was

There

follows : " Received a copy of Minister . of the Chief M.

in what we

said

privately

or

publicly

which

warranted Inkosi Maphumulo's public insults to us published in the Natal Witness of 23rd November 1988. In this newspaper report brought who rival Inkosi Maphumulo is presented as a saviour townships . Inkosi factions together in the city's violence - torn Maphumulo alleged that I wanted to strip him of his traditional chieftainship .

Mr.

Speaker ,

describe

the

despicability

to the whole world

He

Members ,

Honourable

said that

of

through the

things

that

no adequate words to Inkosi

Maphumulo

said

Natal Witness .

received death

he

of the conflict in his area . presents himself as a man he being martyr violence . of

the

there are

threats

for accommodating

refugees

He presents himself as a reconciler ; of peace and he presents himself as a

the persecuted because he offers shelter to clearly . stated be must now truth The

victims Inkosi

was never a man of compassion who offered shelter to the Maphumulo was doing was Maphumulo Inkosi What violence . of victims was He . and campaigning for a personal following proselytising and wounded some kind of vulture swooping down on the dead , like refugees from Inkosi that

We also know at what price he receives these maimed . Members will recall Pietermaritzburg violence . the Maphumulo refugees

If

there is going

Inkosi is in

himself

us

told

as Khonza

Maphumulo ,

to be the

the

Assembly .

about

In

poor

these

this

reconciliation must

be

told

is a liar . He buffeted on one Natal Witness

between

ourselves

of

finishing

him off .

and

and dealt with . again raises the occasion when he

article

he

again

allegation that we intended to kill him that day Ministers and the KwaZulu Police stood by while

our business

Witness removing

any

truth

that Inkosi Maphumulo which he was somewhat

hideous Cabinet

from

demands

how much he

fees .

He

that it was only Inkosi Mlaba who his unconscious body before we could

says

through

incident came to made

the

and we

that went

the

Natal

saved his life finish him off .

by

137

All they were these matters were openly discussed in Caucus and with of dealt me when I performed the official by opening his offices . KwaZulu I the made very clear that none of us in it the was party to his assault . Cabinet I told him that I respect Office of Inkosi and could never be a party to any assault on any is It while

Inkosi . watching assault

long

lie that any of a Inkosi Maphumulo was

after

it

Ministers

Cabinet the assaulted .

I

heard

of

were the

happened .

had

in the article he throws the gauntlet down and says that if he And Court . Mr. deposed he would fight the matter in the Supreme was Inkosi that think did really I Members , Honourable Speaker , and KwaZulu been reconciled to me and the rest of had Maphumulo there that together .

was hope that in November last In

work to the future we would be able memorandum year when I received this

clan allegations of interference in the Gcumisa family and making Maphumulo . Inkosi no personal axe to grind with had I affairs , throw I When I settle a dispute between myself and somebody else , the whole

There he is

was no reason

has adopted . eating away

soul

forget

matter away and

for

It is at his

in which love

and

Inkosi

it

ever happened .

Maphumulo

to

adopt

the

stance

that

that fatal disease of hunger for power which insides , destroying the recepticles in his loyalty

reside .

CONTRALESA about is in the context of what I have been saying It Even one man doing that we must see the role of Inkosi Maphumulo . do . to doing creates openings for what the ANC want what is he not I would is a serious matter which we need to deal with . This be surprised if he is part of these of Chiefs through CONTRALESA .

I believe

that

there

is a

lot

moves

of wisdom

in

to

the

prostitute

the

statement

Offices

that

when

people work in partnerships of trust , they do so knowing that they have a binding water - tight written agreement somewhere in a bottom drawer that is never used . It is the absence of that which would bind must

Inkosi think

matters

Maphumulo to us that he is seriously about amending

of this

abusing . I legislation

believe that we to deal with

kind .

Mr. Speaker , all you have to have is one local chief who throws his lot in with CONTRALESA somewhere where UDF activists have managed on create strife and bloodshed to have a really ugly situation our hands . Front . It

CONTRALESA is now an affiliate of the is ANC conceived and ANC inspired .

role in the ANC /UDF against brother and solidarity of

alliance . It sister against

communities .

United Democratic It will play its

will come in to sister and to

set brother destroy the

138

It

is so

tragic

in its basic chiefs into divisively tantamount

that

the

ANC Mission

in

exile

is

political thinking . Nothing could political activists in such a way and tear their Own communities

to

taking

the

viper

of

faction

so

often so wrong

come out of turning that they behave That is apart .

fighting

and

clasping

it

to your bosom .

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

one

of my

period of transition which is now looming for little attention too is being paid to the leaders

in bringing

about

a

in helping

the

people

South role

about

the that

Africa is of traditional

new South Africa .

Even here on our own doorstep , we to done ensure that traditional role

concerns

have to leaders

establish a

only talking about Amakhosi all traditional leaders . I

admit that too little was their can play rightful

new South Africa .

even if they are am also thinking

I am not

the most important of of Indunas and beyond

the Indunas , I am thinking of community leaders in rural areas . There is a network of inter - relating personalities and structures

t which provide

a

totality

of

traditional

leadership .

S Right

on

our

KwaZulu / Natal

own doorstep we Indaba

leadership as part of could . play leaders

has

need

to

actually

find

out

just

focussed

its overall concern . in the circumstances

how

much

the

on

traditional What role traditional envisaged by the

KwaZulu/ Natal Indaba has , I believe , not been sufficiently stated . thoughts Some must also be raised about our own Buthelezi totality reports Commission . In the of the produced by the Commission and by the Indaba and in the totality of the statements that have been issued by these two ventures into new thinking , what was said about traditional leaders will probably mostly be found in scattered sentences or paragraphs .

a

ว

t

C M

a Mr. the

Speaker , Honourable Members , I think it is now true to say that of KwaZulu / Natal Indaba proposals are part and parcel an

ongoing reality . I make no predictions of what the final outcome of its constitutional proposals will be but I do know that whatever final some or political settlement is produced , it will include more

of

its thinking .

account when people South Africa .

sit

The

proposals will

around

a

conference

have table

to

be

taken

into

negotiating

a

new

S Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

I

have

often

said

that we

southern tip of Africa are cursed with being the last racist a minority government , but we are at least to wisdom which other

countries

only realise

on the

to shake blessed

with

off with

hindsight .

We have Africa to teach us . I ask , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , have we learnt all the lessons that Africa can teach us ? Should we in fact not know a lot more about the role of traditional leaders elsewhere in Africa than we do ?

139

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , it may well serve a very important established a Assembly Legislative KwaZulu the if purpose leaders traditional enquiry into the role of ongoing formalised Inkatha the commissioned and specifically Africa in elsewhere with

work

to

Institute

background

informative

produce

to

it

and

papers

ongoing

an

series

finally to

of

guidelines

formulate

which I and other representatives chosen by this Assembly could use when we are negotiating a new South Africa .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I want to say one last word on the topic . question of traditional leaders before I move on to my next - spreading back I come to the statement I make so often mass poverty is the enemy of democracy . If we are going the role of traditional leaders in the politics of

to enquire transition

in new societies born of political victories , should we that enquiry into looking at the role that traditional

into and

not broaden leaders can

play in rural development .

I make this point , Mr. Speaker , because one of the vulnerabilities that we must guard against is the vulnerability of development projects , being so -called , introduced into rural areas with the specific purpose of breaking the power of the local Inkosi . The less that Inkosi is doing about hunger , the easier his power will be broken . Constructive leadership at the grass - root level cannot afford to be holier - than - thou by saying the right things but doing nothing

about

the

real

Honourable Members , I debate makes of them .

vested

interests

throw out

these

of

people .

thoughts

Mr.

and wait

Speaker , Members , Mr. Honourable while on traditional structures , I want to draw the House's

to

Speaker , see what

subject the of attention to the

continuing need that there is for us to preserve the dignity of His Majesty the King . His Majesty is a traditional leader but he is also much more than that . He is the King of the Zulus - a product of history and indeed in many respects , Speaker , Mr. is his role , Honourable upliftment

and

outside the

hurly burly

When therefore politics in a Assembly must Speaker , his

the

of

of his

party

people

name

Members , was

so

of the nation . to strive for the

while

being

entirely

politics .

his Majesty's name is despicable way , we as register our protest .

Honourable

Majesty's

dignity

the hope Members ,

to the

drawn into the KwaZulu refer I of

parliamentary

shamefully dragged

white party Legislative course , Mr.

debate

in which

into

party

political

The

first

issue

point - scoring . There

are

two

issues

which must

be

separated .

is

whether or not there was any truth in the remarks Mr. Bloomberg is reported to have made on the occasion on which his Majesty attended official Johannesburg City Council dinner . The other point is the issue of whatever was said or alleged to be said being used in Parliament

in party

political

debate .

140

It

is

recorded

in

Hansard ,

Member for Sandton , Bezuidenhout , said : during the

King's

Mr.

Dalling , Speaker , that Mr. Bloomberg , NP Member praise singers started

referring to Mr. " When the King's

entry ,

this

person

said

to

his

PFP for

up

table

companions , And ' Have you noticed how peasants always make the most noise ' " . when the King rose to speak and the praise singer started up , said :

and

"I

suppose our ancestors were also like that 2 000 years ago " also when her Majesty the Queen entered with his Majesty said : wonder what a coon sees in a woman like that . "

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I was overseas at the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture , Dr. immediately wrote to the Le Grange as follows :

The Speaker The Hon . Mr.

L.

Le

Speaker

of the

House

time O.D.

of Assembly,

Grange

"I

and the Dhlomo , L. Mr.

10th February

1989

of Assembly

House

Cape Town

Speaker ,

Dear Mr.

REMARKS

It

has

come

to the

PERTAINING TO THE KING OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY DEBATE

notice

of

the

ZULUS :

KwaZulu Government

that

during

a

recent debate in the House of Assembly , the name of the Zulu King was used in a manner purporting to demean his status . We understand incident that the Members of Parliament involved in this were Messrs . Dave Dalling of the Progressive Federal Party and Sam Bloomberg

The Sir ,

of the National

Party .

KwaZulu Government wishes with reference to the

honourable

gentlemen .

incident be thoroughly is not repeated .

The

to lodge an official protest to you , insensitive behaviour two of thse

Government

investigated

We trust that you will use your good preserve the dignity of our King .

Yours

faithfully

DR . O.D. DHLOMO ACTING CHIEF MINISTER

Mr.

Le

Grange

replied

as

follows :

further

with a

requests

view to

offices to

that

ensuring

help us

this

that

protect

it

and

.

141

Dr. O.D. Dhlomo Acting Chief Minister

16 February

1989

Private Bag X04 3838 Ulundi

Dear Dr.

Dhlomo

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 10th instant and beg to used advise that the name of His Majesty King Goodwill was not in manner a purporting to demean his status and you may rest assured that Parliament .

I will I

speeches made

by Messrs .

of

February as

allow

not

reported

such

a debate

With kind LOUIS

LE

take

in

in

our

copy of 7th and

the 8th

place

hereto for your information a Dalling and Bloomberg on the Hansard .

you will I trust that agree , documentation that an investigation assured of my highest

to

respect

for

after studying is unnecessary .

His

Majesty King

the attached rest Kindly

Goodwill .

regards , GRANGE

Protestations accusations

that because

accused him of

Dalling was wrong making Dave in the Dalling Bloomberg did not say Mr. what

Mr. Mr.

saying ,

helps

nobody .

It

certainly does

not

remove

the way in which his Majesty was shamefully treated in the House of Assembly debate . Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I again and again see how difficult it is for white political leaders to have understanding of black society . In responding to any real the no Mr. Le Grange gave Honourable Minister of Education's letter , indication at all that he recognised that the Honourable Minister of Education was right in describing the behaviour of the two gentlemen concerned as insensitive . The Honourable Minister of Education also asked the Speaker of the House of Assembly to ensure that this kind of thing was never repeated . it is quite clear , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that Mr. Le Grange as Speaker of the House of Assembly, would tolerate the same kind of debate again if the same kind of insult was thrown at his Majesty and to all Zuluspeaking

There said

South Africans .

are some things you just never do in decent society and you certainly never repeat in public something somebody may have in private or in public which is derogatory and which demeans

the image of his Majesty . The Speaker of the House of Assembly was wrong in tolerating the debate which is recorded in Hansard . Mr. Dalling was grievously wrong in drawing the attention to what was said or was alleged to have been said Mr. Bloomberg . Mr. by and Bloomberg was wrong in responding in any other way than there then apologising for Mr.

Dalling's

to

his

Majesty

callous

on behalf

disregard

of

our

of

all

white

feelings .

politicians

142

things

These

cannot

diminish with time . less than courteous did not on his

be

put

right .

We only hope that

hurt

We have as a people been wounded . It of us if we , Mr. Speaker , Honourable

will

would be Members ,

send a message to his Majesty telling him how hurt we behalf and how incensed we are by the treatment he

given in the House of Assembly . Honourable Minister of Education

are

was Mr. Bloomberg did write to the as then Acting Chief Minister as

S

follows :

{ C The Dr.

Acting Chief Minister Oscar Dhlomo

of

18th February

KwaZulu

1989

Dear Minister ,

1 Re :

Fake Allegations made concerning His Majesty , King Goodwill Zwelithini Ka Bekhuzulu

to

my

1

allegations unsolicited

telegram

of February

8th

and

1989

still flying around , nevertheless I have table companion from affidavit a who

banquet confirming copy thereof .

what

I

said

in parliament .

I

have

despite received was at enclosed

the an the a

I strongly deplore This unfortunate incident was not of my making . Dalling , for MP hear - say derogatory allegations made by Mr. the in said I using ( as parliament for party his and Sandton , Zulu dragging the good name of the party and the for parliament ) cheap for allegations disrepute , and using false into Nation distasteful

political

party

propaganda .

I

would like to reiterate that I am deeply distressed not only at falsehoods and slurs cast upon my integrity , but also at the shameless the attempt by the PFP to drag His Majesty's name into political their own

arena gain .

for what

they hoped would be

political

mileage

for

I would again emphasize my deepest respect and regard for His Majesty , his family and the Zulu Nation as a whole without whom no peaceful solution can be found to the problems that beset this beloved land of ours .

I am reluctant defamed , but

to carry this matter further even though I have been the PFP still seems to be intent on spreading these

untruths

further .

still

Although my natural inclination was newspapers , and even to take legal

to carry this matter further in steps , I have been , even at the reluctant to proceed precisely expense of defending my reputation , because I do not want to drag His Majesty's name into common political

debate .

Sincerely yours ,

S.G.

BLOOMBERG ,

MP

BEZUIDENHOUT

1

Further

143

Ds .

G.J.

Swart

of

the

Andrew Murray Congregation

the Dutch Bloomberg Mr.

of

Reformed Church was present on the occasion on which was accused of making the statements he did make and supported Mr.

Bloomberg's letter to Dr. Dhlomo by a sworn affidavit in which he says that he [ Ds . Swart ] interpreted what his Majesty's praise singer was saying for the benefit of those around the table and drew attention to and added that Mr.

the cultural differences between Whites and Zulus it would be unthinkable for a praise singer to

the arrival Bloomberg made

of the State President at a function and that forefathers Europe the remark that our in

probably also had such praise singers to announce find this comparison utterly distasteful .

their arrival .

We obviously thank Mr. Bloomberg for his letter of protest but again say , Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , that what was said by whom does not detract from the fact that whoever said what , the matter should not have been debated at all in Parliament . including western Important people in society , Royalty , are received with fan - fare which includes blowing of trumpets .

I

have been stressing

are to be makes or stressing

that the

foundations

of

real

political

power

process I have

which been

found in political realities and an ongoing breaks parties and which writes history . that

in the

end it will be

the

ongoing

political

process

on the ground in this country that will bring about a South Africa . I have been urging revolutionaries to re - think their whole position and to return to the politics of sanity .

Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , the kind of debate in the House of Assembly in which derogatory things are said about his Majesty , or about any black leader for that matter , sets the negotiating clocks the behind back . The debate I refer to shows just how far realities of South Africa those involved really are . Does this that mean that the South African Parliament is so far behind it will not be able to catch up with moving history ago wrote on the wall for all to read that racist

which a long time politics is out .

We will all be watching with interest how the white body politic in Democratic South Africa treats Party . the newly emerging Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members , I want to place on record the fact that the formation of the Democratic Party has hope in my breast that the parliamentary process

kindled could take

for the better .

am saying .

I

must ,

however ,

qualify what

I

However much I see the Democratic Party being formed whom I have known for a long time in many different when it comes to political commentary on what they must be down - to - earth and level - headed .

a

little turn

by old friends circumstances , are doing , I

144

ever we have not seen White solidarity a Black perspective , Government for the benefit of an attack on the South African the old Liberal Party and The old United Party , from left of it .

From work

the old Federal Party could never put united parliamentary opposition .

their act together to produce present When I look at the

circumstances and ask myself what is so different about the present now time say that there is a ripeness of must I circumstances , ness of re ripe r the be e h just It may . been befo has neve ther whic y onal can tics Part to the left of the Nati in which white poli put its act together .

Speaker , Honourable Members , from a Black perspective I a statement about the pitfalls that I see lying in that One of them is way of white parliamentary opposition unity . Federal Progressive parliamentary themselves such as the groups Party have long been involved in their own internal tensions as one

Mr. Again , make must

in the party virtually goes into orbit as a of the party flirts with National faction

faction another hoping

while UDF UFO members Party

woo them .

to

There has now for years been a strange mixture of symbolism in opposition parliamentary politics . taking over as the Official Opposition , some Opposition

hope

lost

of their

Party

ever

pragmatism and Prior to the CP members of the

winning

an

election .

Instead of trying to do so , they specialised in protesting as they sang political duets with those who have ANC and UDF sentiments . It was some Opposition parliamentary spokesmen who perhaps did more than anybody else in South Africa to gain international credibility for the ANC .

One has only to dig into the nether regions of NUSAS and the Black Sash to see to what extent staunch PFP members are working in harmony telling

with those who want the world that the

history will in

the

has been a There with tandem in

to destroy ANC is the

Inkatha and who are really which only political party

end endorse .

people credibility drums by these in insurance political taken up

beating of ANC those who have

banking and commerce , mining , political Alice - in - Wonderland

It has been some industry . those scene which in

kind of

inside Parliament are attempting to endorse the ANC which wants to destroy Parliament and the parliamentary process as it is known today . loss of Dr. van Zyl Slabbert who became a pilot of a UDF UFO is one of the outcomes of what I am talking about .

Mr.

Speaker ,

about There foreign

Honourable Members , a UDF UFO . I am throwing many who are objects in our

making midst .

I

am not

out

being

a serious

clever when I talk political concept .

opposition groupings unidentified They whizz around our political

145

ether

never

ever

really touching

the

bedrock

of

African South amongst other

politics . If the newly formed Democratic Party is , things , building hangars in which these UFOs can land , will not

succeed

in

forming

solid white

opposition

to

they

then

apartheid .

Solidarity can only come where there is purpose that can be pursued and in purpose can only be pursued successfully if one is dealing and

always

radicalism

a

has

one's

realities

feet

that

on the

works on

ground . the

True

ground .

radicalism The

PFP ,

is the

Independent Party and the National Democratic Movement must produce into the six feet on the ground to push their new chariot of war political arena . to be seen .

Whether

they will

succeed

in doing

so

yet

remains

I want to make another point about white politics and I do so again from a Black perspective . White politics can only be half politics Whites - only parliamentary while white politics is involved in a process .

There is no other process for formal white politics the moment . In the informal political sector the non - parliamentary play to groups opposition on either side of Inkatha have a role which is the role of white not political opposition parties . Unless the division of labour between parliamentary groupings and non -parliamentary groups is sensibly arranged , the losers in this new venture .

Whites will

again be

I am great

passing some remarks in the broadest possible vein saying a the deal in a few words because I regard the formation of Party fundamentally could be Democratic as something which important .

am urging

it

to

look hard at past

white

political

groupings which at best made the grade to be a temporary opposition want party . We Whites to pursue political activities which actually end up participating in the eradication of apartheid and the establishment of a new , non - racial parliamentary system . When about the Democratic Party, we talk we need to know that we are talking

about

a

future

ally

of black

parliamentary party powers .

say Beyond these broad far - reaching observations , I would like to one or two things in perhaps more immediate practical vein . I do power not believe that the Democratic Party can enhance its by soliciting support from Black South Africans . The process I think When the Democratic Party proves that will be the other way round . it

is

beginning

to

acquire

power ,

it will begin

to

attract

black

interest and black support . I did not become directly involved in formally the formation of the Democratic Party . I am not now involved with it . I advise against any form of formal relationship with it . This is not to say that the leaders involved in it have not kept us informed or that we should not at least give it moral support .

146

Party Quite independently of us needing to watch as the Democratic builds up a track record and establishes its own place in the South African political scene , I sincerely hope that those involved in directing the affairs of the Democratic Party will understand that until such times as the Group Areas Act , and indeed the Population have Registration Act is scrapped , black political groupings a black political job to do which they cannot do if they become multi - racial groups . to The oppressed have a historic obligation something do about their oppression and the obligation is to do that

something

themselves .

We are a people with a God - given right to author our destiny and we do not want to sit as political illiterates for whom Whites dictate We future . a have risen up ourselves and we have done so by pulling ourselves up by our own boot straps . Our ascendancy will continue and indeed black politics is now matured and poised and no ready to take its own initiatives . Black politics is longer - the politics of those jumping when reactionary politics others

cough . The

Democratic

Party

must also

understand

that

if

Party within the

it sets its parliamentary

sights upon becoming the Opposition it must only process as it is defined by the present constitution , Opposition so with a declared intention that having become the do the of tion destruc the for actively work will Party , it ic Party Democrat the see to like not would I . tion itself constitu drain with a constitution which is towards the political outlet which

down the go being sucked

Mr.

Speaker ,

Honourable

Members ,

there

already certainly leads to the drain .

some

are

things

which need

is be to said which cannot be said in such a way that motivation One of these things is not suspected and distortions are not made . for a politics made one helluva hash of South Africa white that helluva long the unless and time Party heed black wisdom , Democratic

leading they will

characters make just

the in another

There is something in the life version of a white political hash . experience of Blacks which will breed the wisdom which is not being Speaker , Mr. statement , This is not a racist Whites . in bred underlying Honourable an It is not a statement hiding Members . intention

to

There

a

is

establish

catharsis

scene and in a political pie . political

care .

Black

that

domination

is needed

in

over Whites .

the

South

African

political

very real sense , Whites will have to eat some humble They will just have to entrust themselves to Black The

South African

Government

will

never

succeed

in

making Whites the author of future white security . This is a multi - racial society and if the Democratic Party seeks to become an opposition group by feeding Whites with further promises with the kind of society which immunises white society from Black political blundering , they will surely be lost . We are a multi - racial country . Blacks have suffered because Whites have blundered . Blacks blunder , Whites will suffer . The sooner Whites realise consequences , must we share the risks because we share the better .

If that the

147

want I Coloured

to walk the road to democracy with my brothers and sisters . I want to be

White , totally

Indian and colour - blind

in the new democracy that we will establish . I want there to honour among those who look only to a sound constitution , the

be due

process of law in the rule of law , and the protection of the courts in maintaining democratic practices . I believe in democracy and I believe that Black , White , Indian and Coloured can make democracy work as democracy

Mr. Dr.

the

only

thing

that

can work for

us .

Speaker , Honourable Members , I want to assure Dr. Zac de Denis Mr. Worrall and Wynand Malan that I am not

judgemental is at last only

that

forward as

Mr. have

is

and more

that hope

Beer , being

I only speak as I do speak because now there than there has been for a long time . I ask

we realise

that

hope by being

realistic

and

by

going

pragmatists .

Honourable Members , I have ranged far and wide but I Speaker , continue attempted constantly to point to the need for us to

I have tried to show the extent real political power . developing an in participating on political power depends real which to Real political working out of South Africa's problems . historic It is now too late will come to those who go with history . power Africa . to shape the history that will make a new democratic South must now get in on the final act and those who fail to do this , We will be

cast

aside

by history .

we have thus Honourable Members , Mr. Speaker , and it is because we have done the right thing massive

intimidation

not be shaken . in faith your right .

is

hurled at

us .

Let your

far done the right such that thing faith

Let your faith in your country not Continue your God not be shaken .

in democracy

be shaken . doing what

Let is

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