South Africa
KwaZulu-Natal govt accused of starving its citizens

afrol News, 17 January - The political controversy in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province is continuing, even if the "political crisis" is called off. The Inkatha party, which governs the province, is blamed by the local ANC opposition of blocking food distribution to "communities are being ravaged by hunger and poverty."

According to ANC's Provincial Spokesperson, Mtholephi Mthimkhulu, his party had "learnt with shock and outrage that the Inkatha Freedom Party has literally blocked the distribution of food parcels to needy communities in the province." The distribution is conducted by the National Department of Social Development as part of the poverty relief "to those needy families that have nothing to put on their plates," Mr Mthimkhulu said.

According to reports received by ANC KwaZulu-Natal, the Inkatha MEC for Social Development, Prince Gideon Zulu, had "ordered a halt to the programme." He was quoted as having said that the food parcels could not be distributed because permission has not been sort from amakhosi (chiefs) to conduct the project.

- The ANC finds this bizarre, Mr Mthimkhulu said. "How can the government, elected by the people, be prevented from engaging on some poverty relief programmes when communities are being ravaged by hunger and poverty in general?" he asks. "Why should the government seek permission from amakhosi (chiefs), to feed the hungry people of KwaZulu-Natal?" On the other hand, the amakhosi themselves were paid by the same government rand 6,000 every month "to feed themselves and their families," he added.

Several impoverished rural communities in the province were supposed to benefit from the central government's programme. KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces of South Africa hardest hit by the regional drought, although this is met with massive assistance from central government. According to Pretoria's Social Development Minister, Zola Skweyiya, it was however only KwaZulu-Natal that was experiencing these "man-made problems" in this project.

The ANC strongly condemned "this dastardly deed by Inkatha, which is clearly politically motivated." The local opposition holds that KwaZulu-Natal Premier Lionel Mtshali on several occasions had hampered the province's development and welfare out of respect for the powers of amakhosi (chiefs). "They surely block these projects because they are not feeling the hardships of the poverty felt by the poor people on the ground," Mr Mthimkhulu said.

While the ANC holds that this was more proof that the Inkatha party "definitely does not serve the interest of the poor masses," the KwaZulu-Natal government is not happy about the hardened rhetoric of the opposition.

Inkatha spokesperson, Rev. Musa Zondi, recently voiced concern about the many ANC initiatives to upset the political stability in KwaZulu-Natal and told the ANC "to let democracy prevail." The ANC had recently articulated various "threats of rolling mass action and a campaign to render KwaZulu-Natal ungovernable," Mr Zondi said, warning against this threat to democracy in the province.

A recent political crisis in KwaZulu-Natal had seen the Inkatha and ANC mobilising to assure political control of the province. While the ANC was promoting constitutional changes that would have given it the parliamentary majority in the province, Inkatha PM Mtshali was preparing the dissolution of parliament and anticipated elections. 

Mangosuthu Buthelezi, South African Home Affairs Minister and leader of the Inkatha party, in a statement today however claims that the KwaZulu-Natal "crisis" only had been "a media circus act." The words "crisis", "peace", "violence", "instability" and "threats" had been abundantly used to underpin an image of KwaZulu Natal, Mr Buthelezi said. "Yet, all that took place was an exercise in democracy."

- What counts now is that the government of KwaZulu Natal can remain stable and be effective in its good governance and delivery, Mr Buthelezi said on the future of the province. One had to "accept the constitutional right of KwaZulu Natal to develop and maintain its own policies in significant fields such as the war against HIV/Aids and the struggle to liberate our people from poverty," he added. 

Sources: Based on ANC, Inkatha, South African govt. and press  and afrol archives 

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