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Viewing cable 08CAPETOWN258, OUSTED EASTERN CAPE MAYOR DISCUSSES POLITICS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08CAPETOWN258 2008-12-31 09:38 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Cape Town
VZCZCXRO7755
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHTN #0258 3660938
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310938Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2920
INFO RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 6272
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 2081
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 3220
UNCLAS CAPE TOWN 000258 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SF
SUBJECT:  OUSTED EASTERN CAPE MAYOR DISCUSSES POLITICS 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  On December 23, Cape Town CG, Poloff, Econoff, 
PAO, and FCS met with Ntombentle Cordelia Peter, the former Mayor of 
Buffalo City (East London) in the Eastern Cape when she came to the 
Consulate to pick her visa for her forthcoming IV program.  Peter 
discussed a range of issues, including service delivery in the 
townships, reducing HIV/AIDS rates, and improving education. 
(Note: Buffalo City is one of the biggest non-metropolitan 
municipalitiesin the country, in the heart of the ANC's traditional 
base of support in the Eastern Cape. In recent weeks this 
municipality has been rocked by defections from the ANC to COPE. 
 . 
End Note.)  Peter also discussed her problems with the ANC and the 
possibility of joining the newest political party in South Africa, 
COPE.   End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Peter told Consulate officers she wants to mobilize 
development in the Eastern Cape and identify areas that need 
development assistance.  She recently finished her master?s degree, 
which focused on Mdantsane, the second biggest township in South 
Africa, located in Buffalo City.  She studied ways of improving the 
township by bringing in business, revamping services, reducing 
HIV/AIDS, and improving education.  Peter also discussed her ousting 
by the ANC and said, ?it is very sad to see what is happening to the 
party.?  She can not understand why the head of the ANC Youth League 
(ANCYL), Julius Malema, ?is behaving the way he is by inciting 
violence? and she can not align herself with a President who 
believes ?he can take a shower after sleeping with someone to 
prevent HIV/AIDS.? 
 
 
3. (SBU) A lifelong member of the ANC, Peter worked her way up the 
ranks of the political party beginning in the ANCYL and becoming 
Mayor of Buffalo City in 2006.  Although Peter is a strong believer 
in the traditional values of the ANC, she believes the current ANC 
leadership is ?disregarding the Constitution.?  Peter explained that 
she had no aspirations to be mayor, but the ANC ?forced? her to 
accept the job.  Her problems with the ANC started in the beginning 
of 2008 after the ANC Convention in Polikwani when ANC members 
started to question Mbeki?s ?devotion and assistance? to her.  Peter 
told Consulate officers she is close to Mbeki and said, ?Mbeki has a 
soft spot for me.?  When asked if Mbeki would join COPE, Peter said 
she did not think he would leave the ANC. 
4. (SBU) After Polikwane her problems continued with the ANC.  In 
2008, the Buffalo City manager (an ANC stalwart) was under 
investigation and awaiting trial.  The night before the trial, 
members of the ANCYL came to Peter?s house at 10 PM and told Peter 
?to stop the court case against the city manager or else she had no 
place in the ANC.?  After Peter failed to intervene in the court 
case, the ANC accused her of working with COPE and of using 
municipal resources to help fund COPE.  Additionally, Peter alleged 
the ANC tapped her phone to see if she was working with COPE, but 
did not indicate to Consulate officers whether she had any evidence 
of this. 
 
5. (SBU) In response to Poloff?s question regarding her membership 
in the ANC, Peter said she is still a member of the ANC since she 
has such a long history with the party, although she is becoming 
quickly disillusioned and will resign soon.  She is not sure if she 
will join COPE, but COPE organizers recently called her to ask why 
she did not attend the December 16 recent meeting. 
 
6. (SBU) Note.  Peter will travel to the U.S. in January as part of 
the IV program.  Because Peter came to the Consulate to collect her 
Qthe IV program.  Because Peter came to the Consulate to collect her 
visa, CG and Poloff took the opportunity to question Peter about her 
recent ousting from her position as Buffalo City Mayor.  She began 
her conversation with Consulate officers by saying it was okay that 
she was fired by the ANC as the Mayor of Buffalo City because she 
was ousted for standing firm to her principles. Although Peter was 
happy to discuss the events which led to her dismissal, she did so 
only in direct response to Poloff?s questions. End note.