It is ironic that the death of IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi would bring to life one of his pet subjects: the quest for reconciliation between his party and the ANC. And it is perhaps a sign of our times that leaders, while utterly failing to solve the country's mounting problems, would waste their breath on such a nonsensical pipe dream.
Buthelezi always boasted that he grew up in the ANC, and would cite some of its iconic leaders as heroes who inspired him. He broke off with the ANC when he decided to take part in the detested bantustan policy, the centrepiece of grand apartheid, which the organisation strenuously opposed. Buthelezi, however, claimed that Inkatha was formed at the insistence of the ANC and that taking part in homeland politics was an effort to undermine the system from within.
A meeting to patch up differences in London in 1979 broke up acrimoniously, and relations between the two organisations never recovered. The sticking points, apart from Buthelezi’s central role in the National Party's homeland policy, seemed to have been disagreement over how to bring about the downfall of apartheid. Buthelezi was opposed to the two pillars of ANC tactics — violent overthrow of the state and the imposition of international sanctions, which he argued would destroy jobs. He also claimed the ANC was intent on destroying all forms of authority, including his KwaZulu bantustan.
But the London meeting also reflected a realisation by the ANC of the serious inroads Buthelezi was making, especially in Western capitals, where he famously had regular meetings with US president Ronald Reagan and UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who regarded the ANC as a terrorist organisation and a puppet of the Soviet Union intent on imposing communism on the country. He was seen by the West as the most significant black leader not only operating within the country but hoping to bring about change through peaceful means. So for the ANC, winning Buthelezi over would have been a game changer.
If this reconciliation were indeed to be achieved, which horse — or tiger — would the IFP mount now that it has decided to join an opposition electoral pact against the ANC
But the failure of the rapprochement was to be a precursor of the violence that swept the province for more than a decade, leaving tens of thousands dead. The unbanning of the ANC, especially the release of Nelson Mandela, seemed to fuel Buthelezi’s desperation. He was no longer the only bull in the cowshed, so to speak, and often claimed the ANC had embarked on a campaign to not only vilify but assassinate him, accusations that further animated his supporters and fuelled even more violence.
When Buthelezi failed to get his way at Codesa, he banded together with white right-wing elements in an attempt to frustrate the transition. At one point an international team of retired politicians, including Henry Kissinger and Britain’s Lord Carrington, was cobbled together to mediate between the IFP and the ANC. Essentially he wanted more powers, even secession, for what he called the Zulu kingdom. After years of supposedly fighting for the emancipation of black people, Buthelezi seemed prepared to throw his toys out of the cot and incite violence on the eve of that historic achievement unless he got what he wanted.
Even after joining the government of national unity, Buthelezi would from time to time call for reconciliation between the two parties. He regarded that as the unfinished business of the transition. ANC leaders would indulge him or string him along, probably for the sake of peace.
With Buthelezi’s demise, the idea would probably have died a natural death. But at his funeral, leaders from both organisations seemed to speak about nothing else. Even President Cyril Ramaphosa in his eulogy weighed in on the subject. Now IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa says talks between the two won't take place unless the ANC delegation is led by Ramaphosa. In other words, Ramaphosa, with all the problems facing the country, should drop everything and chase a mirage. The whole thing is much ado about nothing. It is a solution looking for a problem.
But what proponents of this chimera won't tell us is what this reconciliation, once achieved, would look like. Does it mean a merger between the two, the ANC gobbling up the IFP, or vice versa? If not, what’s the point of the whole exercise? Reconciliation is a fantastic idea. It is one of the principles enshrined in our constitution. If Buthelezi was seeking genuine reconciliation, the right forum was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which he and the IFP boycotted.
But hasn't that horse already bolted? If this reconciliation were indeed to be achieved, which horse — or tiger — would the IFP mount now that it has decided to join an opposition electoral pact against the ANC? What is needed is not manufactured reconciliation but an appreciation among parties and their supporters that political contestation is the lifeblood of any democracy, and the fact that we may hold different opinions should not make us enemies. The proliferation of different ideas is the way to go and should be encouraged, not stifled. Don't assault or kill a person simply for holding an opposing view. That's the message that every political party should be conveying to its supporters.
The government should therefore stop wasting time on this scarecrow, and get on with the people's business.
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