Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09DURBAN35, STUDENTS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ANC AND IFP SUPPORTERS CLASH AT

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09DURBAN35.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09DURBAN35 2009-04-07 06:30 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Durban
VZCZCXRO1154
RR RUEHBZ RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDU #0035/01 0970630
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070630Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL DURBAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1423
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0797
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000035 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S, INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: STUDENTS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ANC AND IFP SUPPORTERS CLASH AT 
THE UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND 
 
REF: A) DURBAN 33; B) DURBAN 18 
 
DURBAN 00000035  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary. Nine students at the University of Zululand 
(UZ) were hospitalized after clashes between student supporters 
of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom 
Party (IFP). Police officers have been deployed to UZ to curb 
any further violence. Political violence at UZ has occurred 
often over the years. The recent clashes at UZ reflect the 
intensity of ANC-IFP election campaigning in KwaZulu Natal 
(KZN), but no one expects the violence to reach the levels 
experienced in the past. End Summary. 
 
Students Hospitalized 
 
2. (SBU) University spokesperson Dante Mashile told the Pol/Econ 
Assistant that on March 29 students belonging to the ANC-aligned 
South African Students Congress (SASCO) and IFP-aligned South 
African Democratic Students Movement (SADESMO) clashed at UZ, 
leaving nine students seriously injured. Mashile said students 
attacked and stabbed each other, while other students were 
thrown off dormitory balconies. Campus political tension began 
to build when ANC Youth League President Julius Malema visited 
UZ to campaign for the ANC on March 26, 2009. Local media 
reported that students believed to be members of SADESMO 
allegedly attacked Malema's car as he entered the UZ campus. 
SASCO members allegedly stabbed a SADESMO student in 
retaliation, which triggered the weekend clash. `Lack of 
political maturity between SASCO and SADESMO has reached a 
crisis point,' said Mashile. Mashile also told P/E Assistant 
that UZ was fortunate that no life had yet been lost due to 
student clashes. 
 
Police Deployed to UZ 
 
3. (U) On March 31, ANC Provincial Minister of Safety and 
Security, Bheki Cele, and Provincial Commissioner of police, 
Hamilton Ngidi, met with UZ management and SASCO leaders. 
SADESMO boycotted the meeting, claiming that Cele was only 
interested in furthering the ANC's agenda and would not have 
been impartial. Cele described UZ as a `war zone' and said to 
local media that there was a need for police to devise new 
tactics to deal with UZ unrest.  `The university is nothing but 
a Gaza Strip,' said Cele. Cele acknowledged that some of the 
violence at UZ was politically motivated, but said that police 
believe that some of the violence is also criminal in nature. 
Cele expressed confidence that the perpetrators would soon be 
arrested. 
 
4. (U) Local media reported that UZ has been divided into two 
no-go areas: the west dormitory side, controlled by SASCO; and 
the east dormitory, controlled by SADESMO. Commissioner Ngidi's 
spokesperson, Phindi Radebe, told P/E Assistant that a police 
task force has been created to deal with violence at UZ. The 
task team will be made up of two teams: the proactive team, 
which will consist of uniformed officers deployed on campus; and 
the investigative team, based in Durban, which will be 
responsible for investigating violence. Mashile informed P/E 
Assistant that the university has already increased its security 
personnel on campus and frequent patrols are taking place day 
and night. 
 
Students Arrested, Campus Calm, Exams Postponed 
 
5. (U) Seven UZ students were arrested on April 1 in connection 
with the campus violence. Radebe told P/E Assistant that the 
alleged perpetrators were apprehended on campus and appeared at 
the Mtunzini Magistrate Court on April 3. The university is now 
calm and classes are proceeding without any problems, although 
some departments have postponed their final exams until after 
the elections, IOL.co.za reported. 
 
History of Political Violence at UZ 
 
6. (U) Since its establishment in 1960, serious violence has 
broken out several times at UZ as students and outside political 
groups jostled for influence on campus. The deadliest violent 
outbreak known as the Ongoye Massacre occurred on October, 29 
1983 during which six students were killed and 100 students 
injured. The clash was triggered when ANC-aligned students 
opposed an attempt by IFP leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and 
his Zulu warriors to use the campus for a ceremony to 
commemorate the death of Zulu King Cetshwayo. Since then, many 
on-campus clashes between student ANC and IFP supporters have 
taken place at the university, especially during student 
government elections. These disturbances have often led to the 
temporary closure of UZ. 
 
 
DURBAN 00000035  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
IFP and ANC Leadership at UZ 
 
7. (U) In the early 1970s, IFP President Prince Buthelezi was 
appointed to the ceremonial position of Chancellor of UZ. 
Buthelezi held this position until 2007 when he was replaced by 
ANC President Jacob Zuma. Many student IFP supporters were upset 
by Buthelezi's removal and this led to a confrontation with 
management. IFP and SADESMO accused university management of 
working with the ANC to undermine Buthelezi. Rachel Gumbi, 
Principal and Rector of the university, once had to hire private 
security to protect her from protesting students who wanted her 
dismissed. A local Zulu newspaper on April 2, 2009 reported that 
Gumbi asked the university to release her from her contract in 
June 2009. ANC Provincial Secretary, Senzo Mchunu, told P/E 
Assistant that he has been elected to the university council. 
The new Council is chaired by Bheki Ntuli, Chairperson of the 
ANC in the North Coast Region. 
 
8. (SBU) Comment. The recent student clashes at UZ seem to be a 
political proxy war for the ANC and the IFP and reflect the 
intensity of campaigning through some parts of KZN. The upcoming 
Easter school break should quell the campus clashes, but 
violence will likely continue at hotspots throughout the 
province. While violence will not likely reach the levels of 
1994 when thousands were killed (Ref A), the continued 
intimidation of voters, especially in rural areas, will weaken 
the still fragile democratic institutions that have been 
established in KZN (Ref B). End Comment. 
DERDERIAN