Zweli Mkhize the latest to jump on the ‘tribal’ bandwagon in KZN

The use of Zulu-nationalism – a euphemism for tribalism – for leaders aspiring for senior political office has become a norm among ANC KwaZulu-Natal-based individuals.

The latest to jump on the tribal bandwagon is Zweli Mkhize, who has not only been endorsed by Zulu amabutho as a candidate for the ANC presidency, he continues to ride on the Zulu nationalism – seemingly an attempt to boost his aspiration to become president.

He recently appealed to Zulu-nationalism as part of his campaign, with the understanding that it’s a ticket to a climb to a top office in a province. KZN was the only province that continued to rely on mixing tribal regional nationalism and national politics in determining its political way forward.

Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu from the University of KwaZulu-Natal said Zulu nationalism was used as a platform for political survival by some leaders because they knew they could not win without endorsing it.

Ndlovu said Mkhize took a leaf from the book of former president Jacob Zuma, who had perfected it from Mangosuthu Buthelezi, former Inkatha Freedom Party founder and president.

Buthelezi led the IFP into numerous bloody battles with the ANC and the late Nelson Mandela had to intervene, telling both sides to “throw your weapons into the sea”. Zuma, who was then a regional leader in KwaZulu-Natal, was central in brokering peace between the warring IFP and ANC sides.

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According to Ndlovu, ethnicity played a central, but dangerous, role in KZN politics. He said in the early days the IFP exploited Zulu nationalism to achieve its political objectives by falsely claiming that the ANC threatened to do away with the Zulu monarchy and amabutho must defend it.

This resulted in bloody clashes in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in the early ’90s. It also culminated in the Shell House massacre when uMkhonto we Sizwe members fired in defence of the party head office against armed IFP members in central Johannesburg.

Similarly, in the early stages of his corruption and rape trial, Zuma mobilised Zulu nationalism as a defence mechanism against the accusations by the National Prosecuting Authority. He was acquitted of the rape charges but graft charges persisted.

During that period an ethnic-focused body, Friends of Jacob Zuma, was formed and T-shirts bearing “100% Zulu boy” were printed.

The black T-shirts were also worn by prominent ANC members inside the Luthuli House party head office in defiance of an instruction from the top leaders in Thabo Mbeki-led national executive committee.

Earlier this year, Mkhize’s was endorsed in a traditional gathering of amabutho, who asked him avail himself to contest President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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