Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DURBAN35
2009-04-07 06:30:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Durban
Cable title:  

STUDENTS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ANC AND IFP SUPPORTERS CLASH AT

Tags:  PGOV SF 
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VZCZCXRO1154
RR RUEHBZ RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDU #0035/01 0970630
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070630Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL DURBAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1423
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0797
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000035 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, INR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: STUDENTS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ANC AND IFP SUPPORTERS CLASH AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND

REF: A) DURBAN 33; B) DURBAN 18

DURBAN 00000035 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000035

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, INR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: STUDENTS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ANC AND IFP SUPPORTERS CLASH AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND

REF: A) DURBAN 33; B) DURBAN 18

DURBAN 00000035 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary. Nine students at the University of Zululand
(UZ) were hospitalized after clashes between student supporters
of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom
Party (IFP). Police officers have been deployed to UZ to curb
any further violence. Political violence at UZ has occurred
often over the years. The recent clashes at UZ reflect the
intensity of ANC-IFP election campaigning in KwaZulu Natal
(KZN),but no one expects the violence to reach the levels
experienced in the past. End Summary.

Students Hospitalized


2. (SBU) University spokesperson Dante Mashile told the Pol/Econ
Assistant that on March 29 students belonging to the ANC-aligned
South African Students Congress (SASCO) and IFP-aligned South
African Democratic Students Movement (SADESMO) clashed at UZ,
leaving nine students seriously injured. Mashile said students
attacked and stabbed each other, while other students were
thrown off dormitory balconies. Campus political tension began
to build when ANC Youth League President Julius Malema visited
UZ to campaign for the ANC on March 26, 2009. Local media
reported that students believed to be members of SADESMO
allegedly attacked Malema's car as he entered the UZ campus.
SASCO members allegedly stabbed a SADESMO student in
retaliation, which triggered the weekend clash. `Lack of
political maturity between SASCO and SADESMO has reached a
crisis point,' said Mashile. Mashile also told P/E Assistant
that UZ was fortunate that no life had yet been lost due to
student clashes.

Police Deployed to UZ


3. (U) On March 31, ANC Provincial Minister of Safety and
Security, Bheki Cele, and Provincial Commissioner of police,
Hamilton Ngidi, met with UZ management and SASCO leaders.
SADESMO boycotted the meeting, claiming that Cele was only
interested in furthering the ANC's agenda and would not have
been impartial. Cele described UZ as a `war zone' and said to
local media that there was a need for police to devise new
tactics to deal with UZ unrest. `The university is nothing but
a Gaza Strip,' said Cele. Cele acknowledged that some of the
violence at UZ was politically motivated, but said that police
believe that some of the violence is also criminal in nature.
Cele expressed confidence that the perpetrators would soon be

arrested.


4. (U) Local media reported that UZ has been divided into two
no-go areas: the west dormitory side, controlled by SASCO; and
the east dormitory, controlled by SADESMO. Commissioner Ngidi's
spokesperson, Phindi Radebe, told P/E Assistant that a police
task force has been created to deal with violence at UZ. The
task team will be made up of two teams: the proactive team,
which will consist of uniformed officers deployed on campus; and
the investigative team, based in Durban, which will be
responsible for investigating violence. Mashile informed P/E
Assistant that the university has already increased its security
personnel on campus and frequent patrols are taking place day
and night.

Students Arrested, Campus Calm, Exams Postponed


5. (U) Seven UZ students were arrested on April 1 in connection
with the campus violence. Radebe told P/E Assistant that the
alleged perpetrators were apprehended on campus and appeared at
the Mtunzini Magistrate Court on April 3. The university is now
calm and classes are proceeding without any problems, although
some departments have postponed their final exams until after
the elections, IOL.co.za reported.

History of Political Violence at UZ


6. (U) Since its establishment in 1960, serious violence has
broken out several times at UZ as students and outside political
groups jostled for influence on campus. The deadliest violent
outbreak known as the Ongoye Massacre occurred on October, 29
1983 during which six students were killed and 100 students
injured. The clash was triggered when ANC-aligned students
opposed an attempt by IFP leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and
his Zulu warriors to use the campus for a ceremony to
commemorate the death of Zulu King Cetshwayo. Since then, many
on-campus clashes between student ANC and IFP supporters have
taken place at the university, especially during student
government elections. These disturbances have often led to the
temporary closure of UZ.


DURBAN 00000035 002.2 OF 002


IFP and ANC Leadership at UZ


7. (U) In the early 1970s, IFP President Prince Buthelezi was
appointed to the ceremonial position of Chancellor of UZ.
Buthelezi held this position until 2007 when he was replaced by
ANC President Jacob Zuma. Many student IFP supporters were upset
by Buthelezi's removal and this led to a confrontation with
management. IFP and SADESMO accused university management of
working with the ANC to undermine Buthelezi. Rachel Gumbi,
Principal and Rector of the university, once had to hire private
security to protect her from protesting students who wanted her
dismissed. A local Zulu newspaper on April 2, 2009 reported that
Gumbi asked the university to release her from her contract in
June 2009. ANC Provincial Secretary, Senzo Mchunu, told P/E
Assistant that he has been elected to the university council.
The new Council is chaired by Bheki Ntuli, Chairperson of the
ANC in the North Coast Region.


8. (SBU) Comment. The recent student clashes at UZ seem to be a
political proxy war for the ANC and the IFP and reflect the
intensity of campaigning through some parts of KZN. The upcoming
Easter school break should quell the campus clashes, but
violence will likely continue at hotspots throughout the
province. While violence will not likely reach the levels of
1994 when thousands were killed (Ref A),the continued
intimidation of voters, especially in rural areas, will weaken
the still fragile democratic institutions that have been
established in KZN (Ref B). End Comment.
DERDERIAN