VZCZCXRO0458
RR RUEHBZ RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDU #0024/01 0641108
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051108Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL DURBAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1409
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0782

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000024 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S, INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PARTIES PLEDGE TO RESPECT ELECTORAL RULES IN 
KWAZULU NATAL, BUT BICKERING CONTINUES 
 
REF: A. A) Durban 18; 
     ¶B. B) 08 Durban 71 
 
DURBAN 00000024  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: A round of verbal sparring by senior 
representatives of political parties in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) 
followed the signing of pledges to respect the Electoral Code of 
Conduct in the run-up to the April 22 general election. 
Although the proceedings remained civil overall, the adversarial 
comments by some party representatives raise questions about the 
sincerity of political parties' commitment to peaceful 
campaigning and controlling unruly supporters. End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Background and Introduction: The Independent Electoral 
Commission (IEC) organized a large pledge signing event on March 
3, held at Durban's International Convention Center.  Provincial 
political party leaders, provincial and local government 
leaders, senior IEC officials, religious leaders and faith based 
community representatives, civil society representatives, party 
supporters and the media attended the event. 
 
High-level Turnout 
 
¶3. (U) Notable attendees included IEC Chairperson Dr. Brigalia 
Bam, IEC Deputy Chairperson Ms. Thoko Mpumlwana, IEC Deputy 
Chief Executive Officer Mr. Norman Du Plessis, KZN Premier Dr. 
Sibusiso Ndebele and members of his cabinet, KZN Provincial 
Government Director General Dr. Kwazi Mbanjwa, eThekwini 
Municipality Mayor Obed Mlaba, City Manager Dr. Michael 
Sutcliffe, Cardinal Wilfred Napier of the Roman Catholic Church, 
and SAPS Deputy Provincial Commissioner Fannie Masemola, who 
bemoaned the political intolerance in KZN, and noted the 
problems caused by "double-booking" of venues by parties in the 
province.  Commissioner Masemola told the political parties that 
they must "behave" well, or otherwise the police will put them 
"behind bars."  In later remarks, the DA representative Mike 
Ellis welcomed the SAPS' enforcement role but urged that SAPS 
apply the rules evenly to every party. 
 
¶4. (U) Thirteen political parties participated in the pledge 
signing: African National Congress (ANC), Inkatha Freedom Party 
(IFP), Democratic Alliance (DA), Congress of the People (COPE), 
Independent Democrats (ID), Freedom Front Plus, (VPF), National 
Democratic Convention (NADECO), South African Democratic 
Congress (SADECO), United Democratic Movement (UDM), African 
People's Convention (APC), Minority Front (MF), Africa Christian 
Democratic Party (ACDP), and Women Forward (WF).  Eighteen 
parties will contest elections in KZN province. 
 
IEC Reports Record Registration, Improved Processes 
 
¶5. (U) Dr. Bam told the gathering that of 154 parties that 
earlier stated intentions to contest the election, only 41 
confirmed participation by the IEC deadline. She reported that 
23.1 million South Africans registered to vote and 27 percent of 
that number represents young people between 18 and 29 years.  In 
KZN, the number of registered voters increased in 2009 to over 
4.4 million, from 3.4 million in 2004. 
 
¶6. (U) Dr. Bam explained changes to electoral procedures 
designed to promote transparency and inspire confidence in the 
results.  To improve access to polling stations, the IEC will 
set up more stations.  Party agents will witness vote tallies 
and see the results sheets at polling stations, and the IEC will 
scan the result sheets in every voting station to prevent 
manipulation.  The IEC will make the full voters roll available 
electronically by zip drive at every station for use by party 
agents to verify the registration of voters not appearing in 
polling station lists.  Dr. Bam also noted that presiding 
officers are not permitted to hold positions in political 
parties or in unions in alliance with political parties. She 
indicated that in future only professionals will be employed as 
presiding officers, to avoid conflict of interest. 
 
¶7. (U) Mr. Du Plessis confirmed the IEC's readiness for the 
election. He emphasized the importance of political parties in 
the election process and encouraged them to cooperate with the 
IEC. He stressed the critical role played by party agents and 
encouraged parties to be widely represented at the polling 
stations by well-prepared agents.  Party agents will be allowed 
to observe the sealing of the ballot box, scrutinize voters 
roll, and sign the final result sheet, he noted. 
 
Remarks Betray Lingering Tensions, Animosity 
 
¶8. (SBU) All political parties present signed the pledge and 
committed to observe the code of conduct during and after the 
election.  In relatively short speeches following the signing 
 
DURBAN 00000024  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
ceremony, many party leaders called for political tolerance and 
an end to no-go areas, and decried other actions such as tearing 
down campaign posters. 
 
¶9. (SBU) One of the early speakers, ANC Provincial Chairperson 
Dr. Zweli Mkhize, included in his remarks a specific criticism 
of the IFP for using violence to block the ANC from campaigning 
in areas such as Nongoma, Ulundi, Estcourt and Nseleni. Dr. 
Mkhize's attack on the IFP was unexpected, and uncharacteristic: 
he rapidly read through a prepared text, lacking his usual ease 
and charisma in delivery.  He was the first speaker to make a 
swipe against another party.  Not surprisingly, a few others 
followed suit. 
 
¶10. (SBU) COPE's Nkosinathi Mkhize accused the ANC of disrupting 
COPE's meetings in Verulam, Inanda, and Howick.  Mr. Mkhize 
called the ANC an "organized criminal gang" masquerading as a 
political party. Mr. Mkhize's counter-attack on the ANC brought 
jeers from ANC supporters.  IFP's Zanele kaMagwaza Msibi said 
that although she could understand why COPE responded as it did, 
she would not respond directly to Dr. Mkhize's accusations.  She 
focused on the importance of adhering to the Code of Conduct but 
did comment that Dr. Mkhize's remarks appeared to violate the 
Code, which prohibits using language in a way that may provoke 
intimidation of candidates, member of parties, representatives 
or supporters of parties or candidates, or voters. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Echoing the frustration over lack of media access akin 
to that exhibited by the members of the Azanian People's 
Organization (AZAPO) who raucously disrupted a pre-election 
debate hosted by the national broadcaster on February 23, 
representatives of some smaller parties went well beyond the 
allotted "two minutes" to describe party priorities and rant 
about their political opponents, and were escorted off the 
podium by the IEC organizers.  The APC representative also 
responded to the ANC attack and voiced solidarity with IFP, 
noting that IFP colleagues were extremely collegial and 
hospitable when the APC organized meetings in Nongoma. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Comment. A representative of the South African Muslim 
Network who attended the IEC event shared with CG a view we have 
heard from several sources in the wake of recent incidents in 
KZN attributed to political violence -- that many attacks arise 
from criminal causes and personal grudges rather than political 
rivalry.  No one with whom we've spoken expects a return to the 
extreme political violence that KZN suffered in the past.  Yet, 
tensions between COPE and the ANC, and the ANC and IFP, continue 
in KwaZulu Natal. The verbal sparring that took place at the IEC 
event demonstrated a lack of commitment to the spirit of the 
pledge the parties had just signed, and did not inspire 
confidence that political leaders are serious about addressing 
violent actions by party supporters. 
DERDERIAN