No ANC apology to Zulu PM

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has refused to apologise to the Zulu nation’s prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, after party provincial chair Siboniso Duma interrupted him during a speech.

Duma, who was the programme director at Saturday’s event commemorating the 110th anniversary of King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo’s death, caused a stir when he grabbed the microphone from Buthelezi, who was introducing the king.

On Wednesday, ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo said while Duma had since apologised to the king and President Cyril Ramaphosa, who both attended Saturday’s event, the ruling party fully supported Duma’s actions.

“This could have gotten out of control. Duma was brave and stopped Buthelezi. The option Duma chose was better because it prevented bloodshed. So, when Duma apologised to the king, he was apologising for stopping Buthelezi in front of His Majesty. He was not apologising for stopping Buthelezi,” he said.

Mtolo said Duma had taken this action because he felt Buthelezi was about to use his position as the prime minister of the Zulu nation to launch an attack on his political rivals.

Shortly after the standoff between Duma and Buthelezi, several ANC supporters were injured after they were attacked by people allegedly clad in amabutho (Zulu regiment) regalia.

Speaking during a KZN provincial cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the cabinet was convinced that the attackers were incited by Buthelezi, who, after the microphone was grabbed from him, led the amabutho in a war cry.

“Buthelezi’s behaviour, when he rallied the amabutho, is the single action that led to the attacks on innocent people,” Dube-Ncube said.

Earlier in the week, the ANC in KZN claimed the IFP was behind the attacks on their supporters, which the IFP denied. The ANC provincial leadership has since written to IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa requesting talks to diffuse tension.