South Africa’s Joy and Peril

Nelson Mandela can now plan to vote for the first time in his 75 years. Mandela--and all South Africans of color--gained that right when the major political parties approved a hard-fought new constitution Wednesday.

Mandela, the man who is expected to become South Africa’s first black president, and Frederik W. de Klerk, the man who is expected to be South Africa’s last white president, deserve credit for negotiating solid compromises to ensure democracy for all in elections scheduled April 27.

This important victory, however, does not diminish two major threats to a peaceful future for South Africa. The powerful, obstinate and confrontational Zulu leader Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was noticeably absent from the session during which Mandela, De Klerk and 18 other leaders signed the agreements. A smaller but equally angry minority, South Africa’s white separatists, also refused to participate in the process. Either faction’s continued resistance could endanger the democratic process.

Buthelezi cannot be ignored because he is chief of the largest black ethnic group in South Africa. He also heads the Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party, a small but potent rival to the African National Congress. That rivalry turned murderous several years ago and has resulted in the deaths of thousands of black South Africans.

Buthelezi is hereditary ruler of KwaZulu, the Zulu homeland. KwaZulu is self-governing but not as autonomous as the 18 so-called independent homelands that were created along tribal lines and financed by the white minority government to keep blacks separate from whites. The new constitution will abolish the homelands after the April elections, and KwaZulu is expected to lose a great deal of independence, yet Buthelezi will retain the loyalties of 3 million Zulus. Where will he lead them?

Buthelezi can best serve his constituents and his country if he can come to terms with the reforms. If his past behavior is any indication, he will not compromise on any conveyance of greater power to the ANC, although that organization decisively represents the majority of 30 million black South Africans.

Getting Buthelezi and the right-wingers to the bargaining table won’t be easy. But it must be the goal of Mandela and De Klerk to ensure a peaceful South Africa.