C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 07087

CAPE TOWN ALSO FOR EMBASSY

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: MANDELA REPORTED "FURIOUS" AT TOP ADVISER FOR
THWARTING THATCHER MEETING


1. (C) - ENTIRE TEXT


2. NELSON MANDELA IS "FURIOUS" WITH TOP ADVISER
ZWELAKHE SISULU FOR PERSUADING THE ANC LEADERSHIP TO
VETO HIS PLANS TO MEET MARGARET THATCHER IN LONDON IN
MID-APRIL, ACCORDING TO A CLOSE SISULU ASSOCIATE.
GABU TUGWANA (PROTECT), SISULU'S DEPUTY AT THE "NEW
NATION" NEWSPAPER, TOLD USIS OFFICER APRIL 27 THAT
SISULU HAD BEEN THE MOST PERSUASIVE SPEAKER AT THE
ANC EXECUTIVE MEETING WHICH DECIDED THE ISSUE OF
WHETHER TO MEET THATCHER. WE UNDERSTAND MANDELA WAS
KEEN FOR A THATCHER MEETING, BUT THAT SISULU ARGUED
SUCCESSFULLY AGAINST IT.


3. SISULU, WHO HAS BEEN SECONDED FROM THE "NATION"
TO WORK AS MANDELA'S APPOINTMENTS SECRETARY, HAS ALSO
DRAWN FIRE FROM ANC RANK AND FILE FOR HIS HANDLING OF
MANDELA'S SCHEDULE. WE ARE REGULARLY SURPRISED AT
HOW OPENLY ACTIVISTS DISPARAGE SISULU'S MANAGEMENT OF
MANDELA'S SCHEDULE TO US. TRANSKEI LEADER BANTU
HOLOMISA BECAME SO FRUSTRATED BY DEALING WITH SISULU
FOR MANDELA'S VISIT THERE APRIL 21-27, HE TOLD US HE
INSISTED ON COMPLETE CONTROL OF MANDELA'S SCHEDULE AS
THE PRICE FOR THE TRANSKEI GOVERNMENT'S COOPERATION
WITH THE VISIT. SISULU RELENTED. FOR OUR PART,
SISULU HAS BEEN NOTORIOUSLY UNRELIABLE IN ARRANGING
MEETINGS BETWEEN MANDELA AND US OFFICIALS -- IT TOOK
SEVEN WEEKS OF STEADY HOUNDING TO OBTAIN AN
APPOINTMENT FOR AMBASSADOR SWING WITH MANDELA. IN AN
IRONIC TWIST, THE FORMERLY UNDEPENDABLE WINNIE HAS
NOW BECOME ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE CHANNELS TO
MANDELA.


3. COMMENT: TUGWANA'S STORY ABOUT THE ARGUMENTS OVER
THE THATCHER VISIT RINGS TRUE. MANDELA HAS ON
SEVERAL OCCASIONS EXPRESSED HIS EAGERNESS FOR AN
EARLY MEETING WITH THATCHER TO EXPRESS THE ANC'S
OBJECTIONS TO HER POLICY. WE WERE CONSEQUENTLY
SURPRISED WHEN THE MEETING DIDN'T MATERIALIZE ON HIS
MID-APRIL VISIT TO LONDON, AND SUSPECTED THAT ANC
HARDLINERS HAD NIXED MANDELA'S PLANS.


4. SISULU IS A MAN OF MANY TALENTS, AND WE DON'T
DOUBT HE HAS THE INTELLECTUAL FORTITUDE TO CONVINCE
HIS SENIORS IN THE ANC OF ALMOST ANYTHING. BUT THE
OVERWHELMING JOB OF KEEPING MANDELA'S APPOINTMENT
BOOK IS TAKING ITS TOLL. "MANDELA NEEDS A GOVERNMENT
AROUND HIM, NOT JUST ME, TO HANDLE HIS SCHEDULE," HE
RECENTLY LAMENTED TO US. WITH THE STILL TIGHT
COMPETITION FOR INFLUENCE IN THE MANDELA ENTOURAGE,
SISULU'S LACK OF ADMINISTRATIVE ACUMEN COULD PROVE A
DISTINCT LIABILITY.

SWING.