Buthelezi doubts ANC's word
2003-01-08 23:24
Cape Town - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on Wednesday
indicated that its leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi expressed misgivings that the ANC would keep its promise that pending defection legislation would be stripped of retrospective clauses.
The promise was pivotal to the IFP - the leading party in KwaZulu-Natal - in calling off Wednesday's planned dissolution of the provincial legislature and forcing an early election.
The action was called off by IFP Premier Lionel Mtshali for the time being. He said it had been done in agreement with the IFP ally, the Democratic Alliance.
The IFP made it known that despite Buthelezi's misgiving it had decided that a commitment made by Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who is also deputy president of the ruling ANC, should be accepted.
This carried a pledge that the retrospective aspect of the proposed legislation - allowing defection and national and provincial level - would "no longer form part of the Bill". The commitment was made in a letter from Deputy President Zuma to Buthelezi, who is minister of home affairs.
Overturned
This would be put to the ANC national executive, which would meet later this month, Zuma pledged.
But Buthelezi responded by saying that "unfortunately our constituency has experienced many instances in which undertakings made by ANC leaders at the highest level were then overturned by ANC structures".
"In this respect I can mention the undertaking by former President (Nelson) Mandela to hold joint meetings with me in violence-torn areas which according to him, was frustrated by the Midlands ANC leadership."
Buthelezi also said: "I can mention the undertaking made by President (Thabo) Mbeki to appoint me as the deputy President which according to him was vetoed by the ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial leadership which requested the Premiership of the province."
"Our constituency is also aware that your undertaking to traditional leaders, signed on November 30, 2000, was never implemented.
The memory of the breach of the Agreement for Reconciliation and Peace signed by me, President Mandela and (former) President (FW) de Klerk is also very vivid in our
national council," said Buthelezi. This agreement promised international mediation over provincial powers and the role of traditional leaders.
Seeks reassurance
"Therefore I would appreciate it if you could enable me to reassure our (the IFP's) national council that this time around the IFP and its constituency can rely on the ANC's undertaking.
"It would be very helpful if before the meeting of our national council, the minister of justice or your good self could issue a statement indicating without qualifications that the effectively
retrospective provision in the Constitutional Amendment Bill will be withdrawn and that the chairman of the portfolio committee will soon be advised in writing accordingly.
Actually, I would welcome even the draft constitutional amendment as amended," said Buthelezi.
Mtshali told the legislature on Wednesday morning that he had been advised that the deputy president had only received the Buthelezi letter last night, but Zuma had conveyed the message that "it was not possible to provide the additional
guarantees ... but that the commitment made could be entirely relied on and he added additional personal assurances".
The IFP does not want five defectors to be reinstated in the legislature which would upset the political balance - and potentially rob it of its mandate to rule.
The five defectors - who joined the ANC - pre-empted legislation allowing defections in June last year. It was found to be unconstitutional after a court challenge led by the United Democratic Movement and they subsequently lost their seats. - I-Net Bridge