Africanews
When South Africa's opposition Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) held a conference in Ulundi recently, it surprised many by not discussing the crucial issue of development in its stronghold, KwaZulu-Natal. Our South African correspondent tries to examine the implications and the next course of action the party might be contemplating. |
Inkatha's weekend conference in Ulundi did not sufficiently address its failure, as the ruling party in Kwazulu-Natal to move ahead on development projects. Most of its concentration was on its tactical war with the African National Congress (ANC). Millions of Rands in development funds have gone unspent because of Inkatha's failure to control political violence which has scared away foreign investors.
The Inkatha Freedom Party's disappointing performance in the local government elections has left it in a weak position to pull out nationally from the Government of National Unity (GNU). The party would lose its national presence and just become a junior partner in opposition. Inkatha will delay its departure from government until a crisis large enough to justify it arises. Several such crises could arise. For instance, the constitutional court must rule on the compatibility of the draft provincial constitution for KwaZulu- Natal (was passed in May by Inkatha-dominated provincial assembly with the interim and final national constitution. If the court rejects must rule on the draft provincial constitution, it will make Buthelezi uncomfortable. Inkatha's hard-liners have already proposed that all forms of political co-operation should be suspended if Inkatha's constitution goes through the national constitutional court. There is no prospect that the court will pass the constitution unamended. Inkatha also rejects parts of the national constitution. Inkatha's negotiators hope this would prompt a new round of negotiations, with trade-offs.
If Inkatha pulls out of the GNU, it Will be either to win constitutional concessions from the ANC or to destabilise South Africa But Inkatha's hard- liners will not give up easily. Presently they have emerged the dominant faction over the moderate group of secretary-general Ziba Jiyane, and out-going Arts and Culture Minister Ben Ngubane, who have tried to drag Inkatha out of its Zulu laager and portray it as a black centre-right party. Having backed itself into a corner on the provincial constitution and with its electoral setbacks, Inkatha might soon intensify its hard-line tactics.
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