Many blacks have fought the apartheid system over its numerous years of existence, yet one man emerges as a dedicated and influential leader. Today, Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi stands as a symbol of courage, hard work, and bravery for helping to lead the fight against apartheid. Buthelezi lived much of his life working to obtain his mission of ending the separation of races. There were many setbacks and obstacles, although these were just bumps in the road on his journey to stop apartheid. He has been a huge asset to the zulu nation and zulu people.
Buthelezi’s journey began in the city of Nongoma in Zululand. During the month of August, 1928, a boy entered into this world later to be known as Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi. (Mermelstein 49) Chief Buthelezi comes from a long line of Zulu royalty dating back to the great King Cetywayo, a military hero. (Meredith 45) Buthelezi was born into royalty but pursued his own goals to become a leader in a more modern world.
|
|
All in a days work
|
To follow in the footsteps of many great ancestors Buthelezi knew an education would be necessary. Buthelezi attended Adams College, a Methodist secondary school in Natal. Buthelezi later switched to Fort Hare University College.(Otfinoski 39) At Fort Hare University the chief began to study history. However, his studies were interrupted when the chief was removed from school for being involved in a student protest of apartheid. After being dismissed Buthelezi enrolled in the University of Natal.(Meredith 51) At the University of Natal the chief earned a degree in history and Bantu administration.(Meredith 52) Buthelezi also started a political career and joined the ANC Youth League while at Fort Hare University. Eventually Buthelezi became disappointed with the group’s slow movement toward reform, and quit. (Meredith 78) However, Buthelezi continued to pursue a leadership role among blacks.
In the early 1950’s Buthelezi succeeded his father as the leader of the twenty thousand strong Buthelezi Clan.(Mermelstein 53) During his reign as leader of the Buthelezi Clan, Chief Buthelezi became the aide to the Zulu king, King Cyprian for fifteen years.("Buthelezi" 1) In the late 1960’s Buthelezi agreed to head the Zululand Territorial Authority.(Mermelstein 53) In 1976, Chief Buthelezi became the first chief minister of KwaZulu, the bantustan or homeland designated for the Zulu community. During his rule as chief minister Buthelezi worked to reestablish Inkatha.While Inkatha was originally founded by Buthelezi’s grandfather King Dinizulu as a cultural group to unite the Zulu territory. (Meredith 156) Buthelezi became the founder and president of the new Inkatha. It was formed to organize the Zulu power to form a non-racial government. However, in the 1980’s Inkatha transformed into a more military group.(Meredith 157) Chief Buthelezi gradually moved from ruling a small tribe to ruling larger tribes with more responsibility and eventually worked in the government.
|
|
Aloes blooming near Mathlabathini
|
During the chief's days in the ANC Youth League, Buthelezi became friends with Nelson Mandela and other leaders in the ANC.(Finlayson 89) When Buthelezi reestablished Inkatha, the leaders of the ANC considered Inkatha a useful ally in the fight against apartheid. The ANC joined forces with Buthelezi to present a more unified front against apartheid.(Mandela 313) In 1979, the relationship between Chief Buthelezi and the ANC became troubled. The ANC accused Buthelezi of creating Inkatha as a personal power base and accused Chief Buthelezi of cooperating with the South African Government. Buthelezi charged the ANC with trying to exploit Inkatha for the ANC’s own purposes. (Mandela 314) Rather than working together, the two parties competed for power among South African blacks. The result of the fierce competition was constant battles across the country.(Mermelstein 89) Even though Buthelezi opposed the ANC, Buthelezi refused to negotiate with the government unless Mandela and other political prisoners were released from jail.(Meredith 294) Once Mandela was released from jail Buthelezi was Mandela’s only rival for leadership among South African blacks.(Mermelstein 108) Buthelezi and Mandela decided to meet to unite the black followers toward the common cause of ending apartheid.
At the beginning of 1991, Buthelezi and Mandela sat down to settle their differences. A peace accord was drawn up and signed by the two leaders. However, many black South Africans paid little attention to the accord and ttthe fighting still continued.(Mermelstein 110) Even in peaceful protests the entire Zulu tribe carried weapons which were a part of their traditional dress. If and when a fight broke out in one of these peaceful demonstrations the Zulu protestors had their weapons at hand and were quick to use the weapons. Many deaths were the outcome of this quick use of force.(Maykuth
|
|
Vegetable gardening near Mathlabathini
|
1) As the leader for the 1.7 million Zulus, Buthelezi looked for compromise and not confrontation between whites and other blacks in South Africa.(Mermelstein 142) After hundreds of black South Africans died as a result of the fighting, Mandela and Chief Buthelezi decided to meet once again. Not being able to solve any differences at the meetings, Nelson Mandela and Chief Buthelezi were helpless to stop the killing between black followers.(Mermelstein 147) The two leaders needed to find a peaceful way to successfully allow blacks to participate in the government.
South Africa had its first free election in 1994. During this time Chief Buthelezi reorganized his former cultural group Inkatha into a political group, the Inkatha Freedom Party, thus giving himself a way to participate in the elections and future assemblies. (Mermelstein 234) In 1994 private talks were being conducted between Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Nelson Mandela. The leaders signed an agreement that included a code of conduct for the two parties during the election period. Nonetheless both parties violated the accord. (Meredith 394) With Mangosuthu’s participation in the elections many arguments started which led to difficulties in the elections. The first controversy occurred when Buthelezi boycotted the elections on the basis that the chief was not allowed three representatives.(Meredith 427) The constitution caused the second dispute. During the elections, de Klerk and the government were in the process of developing a constitution. Buthelezi wanted the constitution to be drawn up before the elections. When the ANC refused any more constitutional hearings until after the elections, Buthelezi walked out on the elections in protest.(Meredith 428) The chief also boycotted many talks on the basis that the delegates representing the Inkatha Freedom Party had been ignored during the talks.(MacLeod 3) All of the boycotts allowed Mandela to move far ahead of Buthelezi in the election.("The chief’s holdout" 1) With only a month left before elections, Mandela, de Klerk, and Buthelezi met and decided on terms that would allow the Inkatha Freedom Party to participate in the elections.(Mandela 316) In 1994 when Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa, Mandela selected Mangosuthu Buthelezi to serve as the Minister for Home Affairs in his first cabinet. ("Buthelezi" 1) The two leaders were finally politically united against apartheid.
Chief Buthelezi can now feel proud of accomplishing the goal of crushing apartheid. The chief’s beliefs and policies are still used today in preventing discrimination. His conviction and perseverance sets an example for others fighting for equality. Buthelezi has influenced many lives and will continue to do so by sharing political and cultural beliefs through continued service in the South African government. Chief Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi will be remembered as a great leader and ally of black equality to the zulu nation and zulu people.
For more information on
Mangosuthu Buthelezi
|
Top level
Zulu Leaders
