VZCZCXRO1002
RR RUEHBZ RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDU #0103/01 3000934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270934Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL DURBAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1514
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0893

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DURBAN 000103 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S, INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: A ROYAL RUMPUS, A NEW PROVINCE, A STOWAWAY, AND AN UNWANTED 
CEMETERY:  KWAZULU-NATAL ROUND-UP 
 
DURBAN 00000103  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Zulu Kingship Dispute 
 
¶1. (U)  Prince Melizwe Dlamini of Nhlangwini formally asked the 
Pretoria High Court on September 30 to decide on his claim that 
he be declared a king with the same status as a Zulu monarch. 
Dlamini submitted his claim in 2005 to the commission set up by 
former President Thabo Mbeki to investigate kingship disputes. 
Dlamini states that he only wants to be recognized officially as 
Dlamini III, the head of the Dlamini clan, but many see 
Dlamini's claim as a direct challenge to the rule of Zulu King 
Goodwill Zwelithini.  Three chiefs from the Dlamini clan have 
since publicly rebuked Dlamini and said that the only Dlamini 
III they recognize is King Mswati III of Swaziland. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  If Prince Dlamini is granted the status of king, he 
will qualify for the same government resources as King Goodwill, 
 including support staff, bodyguards, and a personal budget of 
R34 million ($4.5 million), reported KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) 
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on the Royal Household 
Mike Tarr to Pol/Econ Assistant on October 22.  Given that the 
KZN Royal Household Department announced on October 19 that over 
the next three fiscal years King Goodwill must pay back R8 
million ($1.1 million) that his court overspent, KZN may not 
find the notion of a second king appetizing.  A second Zulu king 
would also require an amendment to the Traditional Leadership 
and Governance Act of KZN which currently only recognizes one 
Zulu monarch. 
 
¶3. (U)  KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize told a gathering in 
Pietermaritzburg on October 1 that the KZN Provincial Government 
only recognizes one Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini. 
Mkhize vowed to never recognize any other king and instructed 
MEC (minister of executive committee, a provincial minister) for 
Local Government and Traditional Affairs Nomsa Dube to record 
the official lineage of the Dlamini clan.  The Nhlangwini 
Traditional Leadership Alliance, however, supports Prince 
Melizwe Dlamini's claim and has vowed to sue `whoever tries to 
distort the history of Nhlangwini.'  The Pretoria High Court has 
ordered President Zuma to give reasons why the commission is 
unable to rule on Prince Melizwe Dlamini's claim or 
alternatively to extend the term of the commission by three 
months.  The Portfolio Committee on the Royal Household will 
deliberate on the matter once the court has ruled on Prince 
Dlamini's status, said Tarr. 
 
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Wins By-Elections 
 
¶4. (U)  On September 3, the Independent Electoral Commission 
(IEC) announced that the IFP had won the hotly contested 
by-election in Ward 11 in uMvoti Local Municipality.  The ward 
was left vacant after the murder of an IFP councilor in the area 
and was contested by both the IFP and the African National 
Congress (ANC).  The area was affected by political intolerance 
and violence in the run-up to the by-election.  IFP Provincial 
Secretary Bonginkosi Buthelezi issued a press statement saying 
the party is proud to have won four out of five by-elections in 
the province, including uMvoti.  ANC Provincial Secretary Sihle 
Zikalala called on ANC members in uMvoti to accept the election 
result and `remain calm.' 
 
¶5. (U)  On September 14, the IFP won three of six by-elections 
contested by the ANC and the IFP, including the legally disputed 
Ward 3 in Imbabazane.  The IFP took ward 3 in Imbabazane from 
the ANC in the April General Election by a narrow margin.  The 
ANC subsequently disputed the results in court and forced the 
community to hold elections again.  `The Imbabazane result is 
particularly gratifying given the legal consequences of the 
IFP's previous win in that ward,' said Buthelezi in a press 
release.  The ANC did make inroads into IFP territory, however, 
as two of the three wards it won were IFP strongholds. 
 
 
Durban Not to Follow Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route 
 
¶6. (U)  eThekwini City Manager Michael Sutcliffe reported to 
local media on September 16 that Durban has opted out of the BRT 
system because it wants an integrated transport system that is 
`slicker and more efficient for commuters.'  Durban will instead 
introduce an integrated system that will allow commuters to use 
a single ticket on buses, trains and mini bus taxis.  The plan 
will cost an estimated R1.5 billion ($206.9 million) and will be 
phased in over the next five years. 
 
Durban Park Becomes Stowaway Refuge 
 
¶7. (U)  Albert Park in the Durban Central Business District has 
 
DURBAN 00000103  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
become a halfway house for stowaways and a home to hundreds of 
foreign men waiting for ships that will take them to Europe, 
according to local media.  The Mercury Newspaper conducted an 
investigation in August after two brothers suspected to be 
Tanzanian stowaways were rescued and their two cousins were 
found dead on a ship.  South African Police Service (SAPS) 
Spokesperson Director Vincent Mdunge told the media that `SAPS 
are concerned about the increase number of stowaway incidents' 
and called on the municipality and port to work together to 
prevent more incidents.  SAPS will increase patrols of the port 
area, said Mdunge. 
 
 
Sugar Mill Deal Saves Jobs and Farms 
 
¶8. (U)  The future of Gledhow Sugar Mill was settled on August 
31, reported local media.  Gledhow, the first black-owned cane 
crushing facility, was sold by Illovo Sugar to Patrick Sokhela 
in 2004, and faced closure because of an outstanding debt of R60 
million ($8.3 million).  A R350 million ($48.3 million) landmark 
partnership was struck between Sokhela, Sappi Company, Illovo 
and thousands of local farmers who supply the mill with 
sugarcane.  The new partnership will save the livelihoods of 
about 3000 farmers on the North Coast of KZN.  Sugar baron and 
owner of the first Black-owned sugar mill Patrick Sokhela 
reported to Pol/Econ Assistant that the Gledhow deal received 
strong government support as it will benefit several emerging 
Black-owned sugarcane farms. 
 
Former KZN Town to Choose Province 
 
¶9. (U)  On October 12, residents of Matatiele held a referendum 
to decide whether the town, which was transferred to Eastern 
Cape (EC) Province in 2004, will be reincorporated into KZN. 
Residents of Matatiele have been protesting since 2004 against 
being transferred to EC. Many residents claim that it would be 
better to be a part of KZN because service delivery has declined 
under EC governance. 
 
¶10. (U)  In 2006, residents took the matter to court arguing 
that they were not consulted before being forced to become a 
part of EC.  The Constitutional Court ruled against them, 
however.  The ruling led to a split in the ANC in the area, and 
saw the emergence of a sprinter group, the Independent National 
Congress that won one seat in the provincial legislature of the 
EC in the April national election.  After the election, new 
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs 
Sicelo Shiceka promised the Matatiele community that a 
referendum would be held to gauge the views of the people. 
Chairperson of the Matatiele Action Group and Member of EC 
Provincial Legislature Mandla Galo told Pol/Econ Assistant on 
October 22 that the community is optimistic that the outcome of 
the referendum will result in a move back to KZN.  The voting 
results are expected sometime in November 2009. 
 
New Dube Terminal Operator Named 
 
¶11. (U)  Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) was selected as the 
exclusive operator of the cargo facility at the new R8 billion 
($1.1 billion) Dube Trade Port and international airport at La 
Mercy, north of Durban.  WFS provides cargo handling services to 
over 107 international airports.  WFS also provide passenger 
baggage services, ticket counter services, and mechanical 
support for jet bridges, baggage conveyors, and ground 
equipment.  Economic Development and Tourism MEC Mike 
Mabuyakhulu made the official announcement on August 26 and said 
WFS had been appointed to a five-year contract to operate the 
state-of-the-art airfreight cargo facility, the first of its 
kind in Africa.  `We are hugely excited to announce WFS as the 
new Dube Trade Port cargo terminal operator to help achieve our 
objectives of becoming the air cargo terminal of choice in the 
South African market.' 
 
Sobantu Residents Demand Services 
 
¶12. (U)  On October 18, residents of Sobantu just outside 
Pietermaritzburg protested the establishment of a cemetery on 
land they believe should used for new housing.  Approximately 
200 people took to the streets in anger and burned tires, 
creating a blockade at the township's main entrance.  Protesters 
also disrupted schools demanding that pupils join the protest 
march; burned government houses under construction; and looted 
shops owned by Pakistanis and Somalis. Police eventually 
restored calm to the area by firing rubber bullets into the 
crowds. 
 
 
DURBAN 00000103  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶13. (U)  In addition to the lack of housing in the area, Sobantu 
protestors claim that service delivery is poor and municipal 
officials are corrupt.  In explaining why they had destroyed 
government houses, one protestor said, `These are being built by 
a corrupt municipality, which has to go.'   Msunduzi Mayor 
Zanele Hlatshwayo has since met with Sobantu leaders, but 
protesters vowed to march again if their grievances are not 
addressed.  Head of Community Services Zwe Hulane told Pol/Econ 
Assistant on October 21 that discussions with protestors will 
continue once Mayor Hlatshwayo returns from a nation-wide 
meeting of mayors and municipal managers to address poor 
municipal service delivery. 
DERDERIANJ