Buthelezi: "I Have Never Orchestrated Violence"

By Scott MacLeod/Ulundi Mangosuthu Buthelezi

Q. Is South Africa descending into chaos?

A. The African National Congress has repeatedly said they were committed to negotiations. If they allow the matter to descend into chaos, then many of us will doubt that they were. They had already decided ((to quit talks with the government)) before the Boipatong massacre because they could not have their own way.

Q. How would you describe your relations with the leaders of the A.N.C.?

A. Very torturous. I am very fond of Mandela, even now. I have always loved him. But there is a section within the A.N.C. that does not want their leader to have anything to do with me.

Q. Although Inkatha attends the talks, you personally boycott them. Why?

A. My party is represented. But the Zulu people have been excluded. We have already told President de Klerk that if certain decisions are reached without the Zulu people, then morally we are not obliged to comply with those things.

Q. The A.N.C. and survivors in Boipatong say the killings were carried out by Zulus who support Inkatha.

A. How do they know? Is every Zulu who lives in that hostel a member of Inkatha? Your question makes me despair. We are interested that the people who were responsible be tracked down and punished. I have never orchestrated violence, or taken one decision for anyone to be killed even on one occasion. The fact that members of Inkatha have been sucked into the violence is something that I regret.

Q. Why has the violence escalated since President de Klerk initiated reforms?

A. We, as black people, have not developed a culture of tolerance and democracy. Secondly, there was already an ongoing people's war. The A.N.C. urged young people to kill all those they considered traitors.

Q. Are Inkatha members inciting violence outside your control?

A. There is counterviolence, there is revenge violence, there is feud violence. They even commit pre-emptive violence. When they do those things, they are not orchestrated by me. When you get violence at such levels, you cannot blame the leaders. It is a civil war.

Q. Isn't it provocative for Inkatha supporters to carry traditional weapons such as spears in public?

A. It is part of my culture and custom. You focus on the wrong thing. It is the violence that is wrong. You can kill people with a woman's shoe.

Q. Are you optimistic?

A. There have been wars in this country. We survived. All along I have believed that the people of South Africa will sit down and work out their destiny jointly. I believe that now. I am still optimistic.