
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 31, 1994                   TAG: 9403310294
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ELECTION HURDLE

SOUTH AFRICA on April 26-28 will hold historic elections - the first in which all the country's racial groups can vote. As this great moment approaches, the biggest hurdle to overcome appears to be a would-be spoiler, Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi. He is, sad to say, a creature of apartheid who may be out of control.

For years, the racist government in South Africa armed and trained Zulu warriors and established spurious homelands, such as KwaZulu, in an effort to undermine the African National Congress and to give local black leaders a stake in perpetuating apartheid. The monster may have outlived his creator.

Buthelezi has opposed the elections because he wants autonomy for KwaZulu, which is to say he wants his party, Inkatha, to retain political control. The ANC is trying to appeal to younger and urbanized Zulus who, like their fellow South Africans, want the right to vote.

Violence erupted this week in Johannesburg when a march by anti-election Zulus turned into a shootout with security police and armed ANC loyalists. It's good that Buthelezi, the king of the Zulus, ANC leader Nelson Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk have agreed to get together next week to discuss ways of curtailing the violence - the first time all four will meet. But it may be that the stubborn Buthelezi is too hard to please, and the others should stop trying.

He apparently enjoys much less than universal support among Zulus. Mandela and de Klerk have met individually with him and have granted major concession - including greater independence for regional leaders in South Africa's future.

There is little left to concede without endangering the concept of national elections uniting all South Africans in multiracial democracy.

If next week's meetings do not provide a breakthrough and a strong, united message to end the violence, then Mandela and de Klerk - and their allies in the U.S. government - should make efforts to isolate Buthelezi as they move toward the momentous balloting.

by CNB