Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DURBAN68
2009-06-15 07:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Durban
Cable title:  

ANC, IFP, AND COPE BLAME EACH OTHER FOR RECENT KZN VIOLENCE

Tags:  SF PGOV 
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RR RUEHBZ RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDU #0068/01 1660736
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150736Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL DURBAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1474
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0849
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000068 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, INR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SF PGOV
SUBJECT: ANC, IFP, AND COPE BLAME EACH OTHER FOR RECENT KZN VIOLENCE

DURBAN 00000068 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000068

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, INR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SF PGOV
SUBJECT: ANC, IFP, AND COPE BLAME EACH OTHER FOR RECENT KZN VIOLENCE

DURBAN 00000068 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary. The recent spate of violence in KwaZulu
Natal (KZN) may be politically motivated but it is too soon to
tell. Defeated political parties in KZN are still smarting from
major losses in the province during the recent national election
and may be unfairly placing the blame on the African National
Congress (ANC). End Summary.



IFP and ANC Clash




2. (SBU) Thembinkosi Malunga, an ANC councilor in the
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)-led Umzinyathi District Municipality
(Dundee),was killed near his party's office in Greytown on June

7. Local media reported that Malunga's murder may have been
carried out by the IFP in retaliation for the murder of Umvoti
(Greytown) Municipality councilor Ntuthuko Ngcobo, who was
ambushed on his way home two weeks ago. Local Police
Spokesperson Henry Budhram said the motive for the killing is
not yet known, but police are investigating and following
important leads. Local ANC leader Philani Mavundla told local
media that his party is not surprised by the killing as it
happened soon after Ngcobo's funeral. `It is clear that
Malunga's killing was a revenge attack,' said Mavundla. Mayor
of the IFP-led Umvoti Municipality Petros Ngubane said that
Ngcobo was murdered because he had refused to defect to the ANC.
Ngubane alleged that the ANC has been on a campaign to buy off
IFP councilors so that the ANC can take control of the
municipality. IFP National Organizer and parliamentarian Albert
Mncwango denied the allegation and said that the IFP will allow
the police to make their investigations in both the killings and
will not point fingers until the investigations are complete and
suspects arrested. Tensions remain high in Greytown and area
leaders have called on the police to monitor the situation. ANC
Provincial Spokesperson Nomfundo Mcetshwa told the Pol/Econ
Assistant that the ANC is concerned about the situation in
Greytown and its top leadership will meet this week to discuss
the situation.



ANC and Congress of the People (COPE) Clash




3. (U) Police are monitoring Glebelands Hostel in a
township outside Durban after an ANC gathering on June 6 turned
violent. Several people were wounded when police fired tear
gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
ANC chairman of eThekwini region said the protest at the hostel

was not a political event, but had been staged by residents
demonstrating against crime. COPE provincial secretary Philip
Mhlongo, however, said that the incident was indeed political in
nature and that the attack at Glebelands was `clearly targeting
COPE.' A COPE member who was shot alleged that an assassin had
been hired by the ANC to kill him. The man is reported to have
opened fire in self-defense and injured one of his attackers in
the knee and shoulder. Interim KZN ANC Chairperson Sihle
Zikalala denied any involvement in the shooting, and police
could not link the shooting to political intolerance.




4. (SBU) P/E Assistant witnessed the Glebelands incident and
reports that tensions began to flare when Zuma t-shirt-clad ANC
members who brandished traditional weapons prevented COPE
Parliamentary Leader Mvume Dandala and other COPE provincial
leaders from entering the hostel to meet with COPE members.
Dandala and his delegation were forced to cancel their meeting
at the hostel and instead met with police and ANC leaders at a
police station to discuss the situation. COPE provincial
secretary Phillip Mhlongo told the Pol/Econ Assistant that ANC
leaders had not shown up for the scheduled meeting at the hostel
as planned. Mhlongo accused ANC members in the hostel of
attacking and expelling COPE members from the residence.
Mhlongo also told the Pol/Econ Assistant that several COPE
members at the hostel have been attacked by ANC members since
the April 22 general election. Mhlongo also said one of their
female members at the hostel was assaulted by ANC members and
forced to parade naked around the hostel. Mhlongo further
revealed that COPE had received a tip from the local police
intelligence unit warning them that ANC members might be hiding
weapons at the hostel. In a statement released by COPE on June
6 , Mhlongo called on President Zuma to intervene and call on
ANC members in Glebelands hostel to stop attacking COPE members.

DURBAN 00000068 002.2 OF 002


Mhlongo also threatened that should attacks on their members
not cease, they will be forced to defend themselves against ANC
members.



ANC Member Killed




5. (SBU) ANC member and school teacher Ntombi Busisiwe
Simelane was killed in her home in Nongoma on June 9, reported
ANC Provincial Secretary Sihle Zikalala to Pol/Econ Assistant.
The ANC announced in a press statement that another party
member, Bafanyana Seme, is in critical condition after being
shot during a spate of attacks in Nongoma on June 9. IFP
Provincial Secretary Bonginkosi Buthelezi, however, told a
national radio station on June 10 that Simelane was in fact a
member of IFP and criticized the ANC for claiming the deceased
as its member. It is not clear at this point to which, if any,
political party she belonged.




6. (U) Police spokesperson and Superintendent Jay Naicker
confirmed the attacks in Nongoma but said the motives for the
attacks are still unknown. Naicker noted that police are, in
fact, investigating one murder and two attempted murders. In a
media statement, the ANC noted that these attacks came soon
after the killing of its Greytown councilor. `We are now
convinced that our members are under attack from unscrupulous
individuals who are not pleased with the inroads the ANC has
made in `no go areas' in KZN.'



Comment




7. (SBU) IFP and COPE members are still smarting from their
losses to the ANC in KZN during the recent election and may be
exaggerating the extent to which ANC is responsible for the
recent violence. None of the Consulate's contacts can confirm
any intention on the part of the ANC to instigate violence
against any political parties.
SYKES