KZN’s Tribalised Politics: ANC, IFP Vie for Control of the Sacred Door

Tensions between KwaZulu-Natal ANC chair Siboniso Duma and Zulu traditional prime minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi played out in front of crowds at an event in KwaCeza. Attending the Zulu King Dinizulu commemorations, Zulu King Misuzulu and President Cyril Ramaphosa witnessed the altercation, for which Duma has since apologised, but the story does not end there.

The unfolding saga goes far deeper than just a fallout between two individuals. It also occurs at an opportune time when some crucial decisions must be made regarding the mixed masala of politics and the tangled web of tribal issues. The scene in KwaCeza demonstrated that the trio of the ANC, IFP and toxic Zulu nationalism on the same platform spells disaster for Africans in the former Colony of Natal. This incident raises concerns about the potential consequences of mixing politics and tribal issues.

The late Gatsha Buthelezi engineered the modern KZN political architecture, which places a paramount chief in its centre. He transposed his Bantustan policies to the post-apartheid period, demanding that every political activity revolve around the monarchy. The implication is that the ANC and Inkatha have always battled each other to see who will control the ‘sacred door’, leading to the exercise of control over the monarch and fictional Zuluness.

Unfortunately for the ANC, Inkatha knows the game of feudal politics better: it developed a strong association with Zulu nationalism under its erstwhile leader Gatsha Buthelezi. With the help of his apartheid handlers, Buthelezi laid an excellent foundation, interlinking his violent Inkatha with Zulu hallucinations of invincibility and heroism. The ANC was still battling mosquitoes in exile when Inkatha’s influential position was consolidated.

• ANC Dribbled, Concedes Own Goals In Game It Will Never Win

Since 1994, past and current ANC leadership decided to stake their claim to the ‘sacred door’ to a world they barely understand. Buthelezi and Inkatha were always a step ahead in tightening their stranglehold on the mysterious but also very troublesome modern Zulu identity. Almost three decades later, the ANC has been dribbled and trails the IFP in a game whose rules it designed and continues to officiate with distinction. The ANC keeps on dancing to the IFP tune while thinking it can make an impact.

Even the late Zwelithini tried isolating him, but this move backfired as Buthelezi had already endeared himself as a Messiah of his fictional Zulu nation. Inkatha-linked foot soldiers, sometimes called Amabutho, physically attacked the royal house in the 1980s. They stormed it when it became apparent that the late king was shifting allegiance towards the ANC, which had also enticed him with a huge budget. Amabutho is the same Janjaweed that the IFP unleashes to instil fear, as it did in KwaCeza.

Gatsha set the rules for this game right back in the 1970s when a young Zulu King tried to act smart and was given a bloody nose trying to assert himself. A huge apartheid budget was provided to set up rules and compliance for the monarch. Coming to the 1980s, he overstepped his boundaries, with everyone asking how high they could jump. That is how Gatsha would replicate his control over the fictitious Zulu identity as his political ticket to the ‘new’ South Africa.

People like former presidents Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and the entire ANC knew how Gatsha had check-mated everyone, and there was no turning back: all that could be done was to appease Gatsha! That is how KZN’s heavily tribalised politics was born, and the ANC could do nothing about this. The peace accords that followed essentially formalised the ANC’s concession to Buthelezi’s demands, such as creating South Africa’s only monarchical province and a hefty budget for the royal household. The ANC hoped it would endear itself to Zulu nationalists and replace Buthelezi.

But even at a very senior age, Buthelezi never lost impeccable footing as he played his trequartista position that linked his Inkatha politics and tribal gimmicks. In the not-so-distant past, he easily outplayed the ANC and installed Misuzulu, while they are said to have preferred someone else. In turn, Misuzulu appointed controversial former IFP mayor Thulasizwe Buthelezi, serving as the epicentre for the growing tensions in the KZN’s political scene, which is once more directly connected to the tribal stew.

Undeterred by his critics, Misuzulu has taken control of the hollow Ingonyama Trust, managing it like a personal fiefdom rather than a statutory entity. This defiance has left Duma and his ‘Taliban’ contingent powerless, explaining the public humiliation of Duma losing the microphone to the ‘shadow premier’. This dramatic act has led to a comment by columnist Cyril Madlala that “the ANC and IFP’s battle for the heart of the Zulu kingdom could turn ugly if ‘loose cannons’ are not restrained.”

• The Colonial Legacy in KZN Politics and Need for Change

The fact that KZN is finally embroiled in a controversy pitting the state against tribal veneer is highly encouraging. Theophilus Shepstone laid the foundation for a system that blended state power with traditional authority, perpetuating colonial dominance over native populations. The ongoing controversy presents a unique opportunity to separate the state's influence from Shepstone’s colonial legacy, entrenched through Buthelezi’s politics for over 50 years.

Under the Westphalian state system, only the South African state holds authority, relegating traditional structures to subordinate roles. This mix masala of state and tribal authority is a legacy of colonialism and a challenge for post-apartheid South Africa as communities struggle to distinguish between state authority and the so-called traditional authority. As such, KZN politics is fought on a tribal realm that does not only encompass the Zulu monarchy but also other nations residing in the province.

Amidst the raging tensions, KZN ANC recently announced that “the Hlubi Royal Family led by His Majesty King Langalibalele II today [14 February 2024] welcomed the Provincial Secretary Cde Bheki Mtolo and leadership of Josiah Gumede.” The AmaHlubi are one of ten nations that demanded recognition after 1994, defying Buthelezi’s vision of a province under the Zulu king. AmaHlubi’s demand for recognition is a political manoeuvre that could signal a major shift in power dynamics.

The quest for power in the province involves those who want to protect Buthelezi's legacy and those with other ideas. Hence, Duma’s comment that “uhulumeni unamandla...” (the state was powerful) was a clear message the state could have a straw that could easily break the camel’s back. Nonetheless, the current controversy between the state and traditional leadership in KZN presents a potential opportunity.

Many argue that decolonisation requires dismantling colonial structures, including those embedded in traditional leadership. Separating the modern state from these Shepstonian entities could be a step towards a more just and democratic system. South Africa faces a massive dilemma at the local level, where local communities are caught between ineffective traditional authorities and struggling municipalities.

With much of the land administered by the Ingonyama Trust in the province, communities have staged hugely successful legal denouncements of the Zulu traditional authority and irresponsible governance. This has led to calls for dismantling the Ingonyama Trust and reforming powers bestowed upon traditional leaders. A few years ago, Kgalema Motlanthe aptly described some traditional structures as “tinpot dictators”, hindering progress. Additionally, accusations of local politicians’ incompetence highlight the problems with the local sphere of government.

Therefore, it is crucial to recognise that the inherited state infrastructure itself may be flawed, designed for control rather than public good. The current debate exposes the underlying feudal nature of KZN politics. Focusing on heavily politicised lekgotlas distracts from the need to dismantle colonial-era structures. Not only in KZN but also in South Africa as a whole, tribal veneer offers no solutions for service delivery or justice issues. Black communities deserve better.

• An Hourglass to The Future of Politics in KZN and South Africa

Pacifists would point out that last week’s developments are not a good sign for the wobbly KZN politics. The truth is that KZN has never been stable due to the sacred door that the ANC should have stopped trying to reach. I believe that the ANC has been entangled in the Inkatha web of tribal politics since 1994, a position that is currently proving highly complicated to the Taliban and other leaders across the political spectrum.

The proposal is that the ANC immediately withdraw from the competition to control the Zulu monarch and Zuluness since it does not need both as long as it understands its purpose. Buthelezi’s Bantustan politics has run its course and must thus be retired, which could have serious implications for the Zulu monarch and its position in the province. Therefore, Duma’s actions should not be interpreted in isolation. Instead, the broader political landscape and historical legacies must also be considered.

KZN’s dual authority is unworkable in the long run. It was concerning that Thulasizwe Buthelezi recognises the Janjaweed as a political tool to threaten the state’s authority. Despicably, he declared: “Nangu (uSiboniso Duma) ethinta amaBhubesi! Ikhuzeni lenkukhu… Wathinta uZulu, udakwe yini?” (He who touches the Zulu invites trouble for himself). This demonstrates how much he is prepared to go the extra mile to replicate Gatsha Buthelezi’s troublesome legacy of violence and use it against the very same Zulus he claims to lead.

Now, the “microphone-grabbing” incident is disingenuously blamed as a reason for the violence that followed it instead of looking at the persistent presence of violence in the province. Among others, the status of para-military amabutho must be decided after after attacking people with sticks and other weapons on their way home. Thulasizwe Buthelezi plays party politics under a fluffy tribal attire, and this was the gist of the microphone-grabbing incident.

In conclusion, although the IFP has been calling the shots in KZN using the outdated Bantustan model to control its politics, it must be aware that many of the agreements reached in the early 1990s involving the ANC and others are increasingly being questioned. These would unavoidably include the Inkatha-inspired monarchical province, Ingonyama Trust, and the royal household budget. The predicted ANC’s political demise could have massive implications for everyone, from traditionalists to Corporate South Africa.