Buthelezi’s death puts new focus on the land debate in SA

With much talk about Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s chequered history since his death on Saturday, analysts say his legacy will be shaped by the continued survival of Zulu nationalism. 

That was central to Buthelezi’s decision to launch the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in 1975 as well as being instrumental in a postapartheid deal that resulted in nearly 3-million hectares of land falling under traditional authorities on behalf of the Zulu monarchy in terms of the Ingonyama Trust Act.  

Having served three Zulu monarchs in his 95 years, Buthelezi’s complicated history includes the IFP being part of the apartheid regime’s Bantustan system, the violence that besieged KwaZulu-Natal in the 1980s and ’90s and pushing the country to the brink of civil war before his party’s last-minute decision to participate in SA’s first democratic elections in 1994.   

While support for the IFP has dwindled since 1994, the party has seen a resurgence in the 2019 national elections and in the 2021 local government elections in which the IFP grew its support. 

“Zulu nationalism has been consistent through the years. JZ [former president Jacob Zuma] harnessed that a lot in KZN, which resulted in the IFP losing KZN [in the 2004 provincial election]. The IFP’s recent growth at the polls is a result of it exposing the ANC’s flaws. Buthelezi’s death poses questions about longevity of the IFP without the legitimacy of the royal prince,” Mcebisi Ndletyana said. 

Former Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini “was provincial and rural so relied a lot” on Buthelezi who “manipulated that for everything he could get”, he added.

Fellow political analyst Fikile Vilakazi believes ownership of the land that falls under the Ingonyama Trust is not set in stone.  “It is an end of era for the Zulu kingdom. He [Buthelezi] fought tooth and nail for the Zulu royal household. He influenced all the kings,” Vilakazi said.  

She does not believe Buthelezi’s passing will result in the IFP’s immediate demise in electoral politics.  “Politically speaking we are seeing the IFP regain territory because of the disappointments of the ANC,” Vilakazi said.   

It is still unclear if President Cyril Ramaphosa will grant Buthelezi an official funeral, a request from the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Political violence engulfed the province in the 1980s and early 1990s and continued after the 1994 elections. It was described as the “killing fields” by many, leaving an estimated 30,000 people dead.

Speaking after Buthelezi’s death, IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa said it is unfair to blame one person for the political violence in KwaZulu-Natal. 

“What people should not do is apportion blame to Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and exonerate the ANC when it comes to the issue of violence. Violence was unfortunate for all people of SA, especially black people,” Hlabisa said. 

The IFP still wants to pursue reconciliation with the ANC. “It is unfortunate that he closed his eyes with that item not having been finalised ... it was against his great wish that should the time come when God calls him he would be happy that the matter would have been resolved.

"But as the leadership, we will pursue the matter with the ANC top leadership,” Hlabisa said. In the process, a call from inside the ANC to repeal the Ingonyama Trust Act and other legislation that it says is undermining the tenure rights of rural South Africans, may be quashed. 

omarjeeh@businesslive.co.za