'Tell me who your friends are...'
(2002)–Willem Oltmans–
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Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (78) is leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party which stands for a large degree of autonomy for the Zulu nation. He is Chief Minister of Kwa Zulu with its seat of government in Ulundi. Natal has an impressive modern full-fledged parliament building, which I already visited in 1987. It was during the first years of reporting from South Africa in the mid eighties, that I contacted Chief Buthelezi. I came to know him, presently minister of Internal Affairs in both the Mandela and Mbeki governments, through both a steady correspondence, as well as through a series of very private discussions on both national and international affairs. While Nelson Mandela and the anc remained intertwined with the South African Communist Party (sacp), Gatsha Buthelezi stood all along firm on his long-time concept of a one man one vote democracy based on a free market economy. I last visited him in September 2002. He suggested to dine together in Cape Town. Peter and I had just flown back to Johannesburg after a five day vacation there together. But I returned to the Cape for the meeting with this remarkable South African statesman, who will always be closely linked to the history of the struggle against apartheid. Mandela and Buthelezi followed different routes to achieve the same aim: freedom and equality for South Africans. They will go down into history as icons of South African liberation and resistance movement. We again spent three memorable hours at dinner in the Vendôme Hotel. He knows, that I consider our meetings as strictly confidential. But, of course, I do make notes in my dairy, that some day will be published. Some weeks later he sent me a letter and picture as his contribution to this book of friends for which I am in his case particularly grateful. | |
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