Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The 35-year-old soldier who allegedly stabbed his fiancee in the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court a month ago was denied bail at the Pretoria magistrate’s court yesterday.

Smangaliso Petrus Nkosi was charged with attempted murder after he allegedly attacked Ineth Sibongile Ngobeni, 26, a nurse at the SANDF’s Military 1 Hospital.

Magistrate Fikiswa Ntlati said Nkosi may endanger Ngobeni’s life.

Nkosi allegedly stabbed Ngobeni three times during a domestic violence trial in the presence of a female magistrate who had just presided over the couple’s case.

The case was postponed to March 6.

On the political front, the early removal of South African President Thabo Mbeki has significantly raisedthe country's political risk profile, with potentially negative implications for longer-term growth andexternal credit ratings. In our view, Thabo Mbeki's early resignation on September 20 2008 willsignificantly accelerate the transformation of South Africa's political landscape over the coming year,with rising short- and longer-term risks to political stability and policy continuity lying ahead. Althoughthe recent acquittal of Jacob Zuma on corruption charges decreased the risk of violent protests andtherefore merited an increase in our short-term political risk ratings, Mbeki's ousting has elevated thethreat of snap elections and even a break-up of the African National Congress (ANC) into two parties.Consequently, we have revised our short-term political risk ratings from 67.5 to 61.3.

It is noteworthy that, due to high borrowing costs and weaker external demand, we forecast that real GDPgrowth will remain subdued during the remainder of 2008 and the first two quarters of 2009. However,expected monetary easing from Q209 onwards, an improvement in external conditions and risingeconomic activity in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup are likely to lift economic growth againbeyond the 5% mark in 2010. In our view, South Africa's frail electricity sector will remain the main riskto economic expansion over the longer term. As a proportion of GDP and total government expenditure,defence spending in South Africa is miniscule.

South Africa's defence industry has undergone significant adjustments with the lifting of the armsembargos which has led to increased competition from foreign companies. With the South AfricanNational Defence Force (SANDF) no longer a captive customer of the sector, companies have had to layoff large sections of their workforce, leading to dwindling numbers. Recent procurement packages -instituted since about the middle of the present decade - may be the first step in reversing this trend.

However, arms imports should increase substantially with the delivery of the major weapons platformsrecently ordered by the government, particularly with the recent normalisation of relations between theUS and South Africa. The future of the South African defence industry depends on its successful breakinginto international markets. Joint ventures (JVs) will aid the country in gaining a technological lead in keyareas. Currently, the biggest single long-term problem within the defence industry is the lack of researchand development (R&D), funding and policy. Arms exports are proving a more vital area of sales forSouth African defence companies, and should remain the main driver of any growth in the industry.Encouraging figures from key defence companies seem to suggest that the defence industry is growingand making inroads into international export markets.

A quick gloss of the industry leaders reveals a handful of significant players. Formerly the manufacturingdivision of Armscor, South Africa's arms procurement entity Denel was established in 1992. Inheritingmuch of Armscor's production and research facilities, Denel was for a time the largest defence companyin South Africa, employing over 10,500 people - a figure that has dropped to under 8,000. Othercompanies with a major presence in the defence industry include BAE Systems Land Systems SouthAfrica, African Defence Systems (ADS), Grintek Defence & Technologies, Reutech and civil andmilitary aviation industry specialist Aerosud.

THE SANDF is readying itself for the Confederations Cup in June and next year’s World Cup, the chief of joint operations, Admiral Philip Schoultz, has said.

Schoultz said that although the SANDF’s combined forces were “stretched” because of missions in Africa and other parts of the world, it had been factored into their annual planning and would not affect their preparations for the World Cup.

He said the SANDF was more than capable of meeting their current international commitments, as well as those at home.

“We are planning for the national elections, should we be required to assist, as well as the 2010 World Cup and the Confederations Cup.”

In addition to being on standby for the elections and the two major sporting events, Schoultz said military forces were also gearing up for the SA Development Community’s (SADC) military exercise, set to be held in South Africa in September.

”We have a full two years ahead, with a Gauteng 2010 World Cup preparatory exercise early in the year, the Confederations Cup, the elections and the inauguration of the president.”

According to SANDF, the budget will be used to increase the Military Skills Development System (MSDS) recruits to 10 000 for the January 2010 intake.

Addressing Grade 11 and 12 students at a MSDS Career Exhibition in the Ngwanase area in KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, Director of Communication at the office of the Minister of Defence, Sam Mkhwanazi said the department has put aside millions to train young South Africans who are enthusiastic to join the country's defence force.

He said in order to ensure that the department meets their target of recruiting 10 000 youth, the department will be embarking on a recruitment drive to attract deserving and qualifying youth to join the SANDF.

"The department will be visiting different provinces in the country, with the aim to showcase the job opportunities that are available within the defence and encourage the youth to join the force," said Mr Mkhwanazi.

One of the Grade 12 students, who attended the exhibition, Nomandla Zikode said it was an eye opener because she was not aware that there were so many career choices that were available within the defence force.

"We were not exposed to such information, especially from the rural areas. I always thought that if a person joins the SANDF, he or she would be an officer, however, now I know that there are many different job opportunities available.

She said she was going to apply to become a nurse at the SANDF as there were many health professions available.

During the MSDS career exhibition, the students received information about jobs available at the SANDF such as medical practitioners, health professionals, pilot training, engineers, navigators, navy combat officers among others.

Mr Mkhwanazi said the main objective of the MSDS was to rejuvenate the SANDF and serve as a feeder system for the Reserve Force.

"Most of all we want to encourage youngsters to join the SANDF and love their country. They can learn respect in the programme. I urged them to take this opportunity," said Mr Mkhwanazi.

The department said it was proud to offer this service system to the South African youth with the purpose of promoting and enhancing the concept of nation building.

The department stated that before the students are channelled to their choice of careers within the SANDF, they need to first obtain the basic military training.

The South African National Defence Force is overstretched in missions abroad, but can still assist in the upcoming general election in April, Confederations Cup and Fifa World Cup, it said yesterday.

“Can we do it? We better do it and we look forward to doing it,” said SANDF joint operations chief director Admiral Philip Schoultz.

He said the SANDF had at least two battalions on standby within the country at all times in addition to the Chief of the SANDF’s reserves.

The security of the 2010 Fifa World Cup soccer tournament could be seriously jeopardised if the SANDF does not get a budget for the role it is expected to play during the competition.

This startling revelation was made by the defence force’s chief of joint operations, Lieutenant-General Themba Matanzima, during a media briefing in Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria, yesterday .

The briefing was held to highlight the role and functions of the Joint Operations Division, the status of external and internal SANDF deployments.

“At the moment we do not have a budget for the 2010 World Cup soccer,” Matanzima said.

The defence force is seeking an estimated R350 million for its contingency planning budget to help it secure the tournament.

It is not known why the defence force has not been allocated a budget, the majority of which is believed to be earmarked for specialised equipment and logistics needed to carry out operations.

There is a R6 billion contingency reserve. But this is believed to be earmarked for the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) with Trevor Manuel proposing that participating departments try to exceed their targets for creating EPWP jobs over the period ahead.

The SANDF is expected to protect the country’s skies and coastline, assist the police when necessary when it comes to crowd management and man joint operation control centres (Jocs).

Matanzima said the SANDF was involved in urgent discussions with government to secure the desperately needed funds.

Matanzima said while the police had got their budget, the SANDF was still waiting.

He added that while they were confident a budget would be allocated, there were alternatives should they not get the necessary funding. “We have a Plan B but I cannot discuss it,” he said.

Joint Operations Division’s chief director of operations, Rear-Admiral Phillip Schoultz, said: “Of the R350 million, R95 million will be for Confederations Cup and events leading to the 2010 tournament. The remaining money is for the 2010 tournament.” He stressed that the R350 million was not the operational budget.

“As intelligence becomes available we will develop operational plans for specific events which could see the actual expenditure drop dramatically,” Schoultz added.

The SA National Defence Force is "overstretched" but capable of assisting in the upcoming elections, Confederations Cup and Fifa World Cup, Joint Operations said on Friday.

Speaking to the media in Pretoria, chief director of operations Admiral Philip Schoultz said while the combined forces were overstretched in missions outside the country this had been factored into the annual planning process.

"At this stage we can meet the current commitments, as well as the anticipated commitments, such as the upcoming elections, should we be required to assist; as well as the major events like soccer 2010 and [the] upcoming Confederations Cup."

He said Joint Operations had also planned for three large-scale deployments outside of the country.

"We also have at least two battalions on standby within the country at all times in addition to the chief of the national defence force's reserves," he said.

He said over and the above the 2,826 troops and officers currently deployed in six missions, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they were still facing further requests from international bodies for more assistance.

"We are consistently being asked to do more and each time... we do an appreciation and then we advise our political leaders as to whether South Africa can do it at this stage or not and they then make the decision," he said.

On top of the elections and the sporting events, Joint Operations is also gearing up towards the Southern African Development Countries' (SADC) military exercise Golfinho.

The third and final stage of the exercise designed to prepare an African Union standby force by June 2010 will be hosted by South Africa in September of this year.

"It is the way SADC will prove that it is ready."

Around 5000 troops from the SADC region were expected to take part in the exercise on land and at sea.

Soldiers, airmen and sailors will find little comfort in the budget — though a few areas have been favoured.

The defence budget has been declining in real terms for many years, and that isn’t about to change. Between 2005/2006, when defence spending was R23,5bn, and 2009, the average annual increase was 5,9%. In the next year the total is set to increase markedly from R27,7bn to R32bn — but will then remain virtually static, rising to just R34,4bn by 2011/2012.

The increase is based on inflation-related increases in operating expenditure; salary increases; further acquisition costs of the Gripen fighter aircraft; and the establishment of a strategic airlift capability. This means the SA Air Force will take nearly a third of total defence spending in the coming year.

That’s just one example of how the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has had to prioritise by rotation. In the army, this year it is the turn of the engineers, whose 31% increase will go to investment in recovery vehicles and minefield breaching capacity; and of the artillery, with an upgrade of the G6 mobile guns.

But there are many other areas that need urgent attention. Many bases are virtually derelict, though these are also being given attention on a case-by-case basis. Recent upgradings include the runways at Waterkloof air force base and 4 SA Infantry Battalion at Middelburg.

The emphasis on arms and equipment procurement has meant that training time has been reduced. There is not enough ammunition for realistic training to be carried out on the scale required.

Perhaps the most desperate need is in the Reserve Force (RF), which provides the SANDF’s landward conventional force. In times of war or crisis, the RF will be expected to provide the necessary expansion in capacity. Strategically, the RF is not a “nice-to-have” but an integral part of the SANDF.

After more than a decade of what was in effect a moratorium on recruiting, the RF is at last being revitalised by an annual intake from the regular force’s military skills development programme. This recruits young men and women who serve for two years. The best are selected for continued regular service and the rest return to civilian life but must continue part-time service in the RF.

In the budget there is a vague promise of more money for RF training — but it is not clear if this will be enough. Whatever other good the budget may do, the SANDF remains .

SA National Defence Force Budget has been declining for many years

The South African Army has admitted that it has made some serious mistakes, especially when it comes to training.

The admission by army chief, Lieutenant-General Solly Shoke, was made during a media briefing on the state of the army in Pretoria yesterday.

Speaking at the SA Army College in Thaba Tshwane, Shoke said while they had made mistakes they were learning some “valuable” lessons from them.

The army has several plans through which to overhaul the way it is run and to shape it for the future to ensure that its 2020 vision – the plan for its future – is achieved.

The army recently increased the basic training of its new recruits, brought into the defence force through the Military Skills Development System (MSDS), to 22 weeks.

In the past a troop’s basic training, which was declared inadequate, lasted only 14 weeks.

The MSDS programme is aimed at recruiting thousands of young men and women on a voluntary basis to bolster the SANDF.

Late last year senior army officers admitted during the army’s annual combat readiness exercise that there were serious causes for concern around basic training.

Concerns were raised about issues such as musketry and weapon handling skills by Major-General Vusi Masondo, who is responsible for the force’s preparation.

He told a Press conference in November that troops could not be deployed if they did not have the necessary basic skills.

Fielding questions yesterday Shoke said a number of troops had recently been sent to Brazil, India and Tunisia to undergo jungle and desert training.

Asked why this had not been done earlier and why the defence force did not have such facilities, Shoke said: “We never thought that our troops would be fighting in the desert and jungles.

“I admit that this is a shortcoming, but we are however learning valuable lessons from our shortcomings and are improving on them,” he said.

Commenting on the longer period for basic training, Shoke said the time spent in the past was not enough to make a new recruit into a proper soldier.

“They were still ‘mamma boys’ with high school mentalities.

“We have decided that we need to turn these new recruits into proper soldiers and the only way to do that is to conduct proper training,” he said.

He said other shortcomings that they were learning from were the errors that were made from the loss of capabilities around chemical and biological warfare and explosive and ordinance disposal.

“We were wrong to do this, but these capabilities are now slowly being resuscitated,” he said.

Shoke said another area which needed desperate attention was the age of troops.

“We can no longer have a situation where we are stuck with 40-something-year-old troops.

“Our human resources management is the same as the public service.

“This is wrong and is a ‘mistake’. We need to develop a different and separate system to rectify this and we need to do this soon if we are to breathe life back into the army,” he said.

Commenting on other challenges facing the army, Shoke hinted at a major overhaul, especially when it came to addressing ill-discipline and the replacement of “prime” mission equipment, which had to be done as quickly as possible.

“Discipline is one of the biggest problems the army is grappling with.

“Together with our legal services we are looking at mechanisms which will enable commanders to institute disciplinary measures.

“The army will be harsh with those ill-disciplined elements, which are in our midst. We will not hesitate to deal with them effectively and properly,” he warned, adding that discipline was the cornerstone of the army’s success.

Responding to questions on desperately-needed equipment, Shoke said: “The army is doing away with the ‘nice-to-haves’ and focusing on the necessities.

“We are mindful of the challenges South Africa faces, and while we would love to have all our prime equipment, we accept that there are other prime social issues which the country has to address,” he said.

It hopes this exercise will clear up the large-scale mess in which the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) does not know what quantity of arms it has.

The process also aims to satisfy the auditor-general's office .

The assets register was one of the critical areas that led to the auditor-general giving the defence department a qualified audit for the fifth year in a row.

The ministry's deputy director- general for defence logistics, Mthobisi Zondi, told Business Day yesterday that cleaning up the register was the result of their comprehensive "intervention and repositioning programme" and was designed to address the auditor-general's concerns.

He said the programme aimed to modernis e asset management systems and property liability methods . It would also introduce procedures to ensure accountability for equipment.

Zondi said a thorough assessment of the problem areas identified by the auditor-general had shown that most asset-tracking and financial reporting within the various units of the SANDF were old fashioned. The greatest challenge was that all assets would require a standardised code after a tedious process of being manually and physically identified and counted.

However, the ministry would be using professional audit companies to work with its personnel to do this. The procedure included travelling to the 550 units in SA that receive and discharge goods.

The process would teach defence personnel to correctly capture data.

The auditor-general said the SANDF's financial statements did not put any financial value to its weapons and ammunition inventory.

This indicated that the defence department had no idea of how many weapons it had .

Zondi said: "Despite the element of theft, which is not as catastrophic as reported, we are finding that the system of updating assets and accounting for various categories of equipment and weapons assets have not kept pace with technology."

To complicate matters, the military had been capturing information based on Nato codes while the treasury used a system called Standard Chart of Accounts which led to the systems "not being able to talk to each other, especially for the purpose of accounting".

As a result, the ministry had found it difficult to properly report on the whereabouts of some of its assets . It also could not fairly estimate the number of assets that were depreciating. Furthermore, it could not deliver proper figures on how much had to be paid for services rendered and property bought , especially during the last month of the financial year.

"In a bid to standardise the accounting processes we have brought in KPMG to help us introduce national standards and proper accounting procedures for every unit within the force and the ministry," he said.

The ministry was also implementing the Government Immovable Asserts Management Act to evaluate the worth of the force's buildings and infrastructure.

Zondi said the exercise would clean up the various categories of the asset register and produce credible figures acceptable to the auditor-general's office.

Zondi said the ministry planned to use technology, including helicopters and unmanned aircraft, to monitor the potential damage and danger from unexploded equipment in training camps.

He said the treasury was adamant that the defence ministry should quantify the possibility and extent to which its equipment could "hurt the environment and the general public".

L'enjeu principal de ces élections, où le Congrès national africain (ANC) au pouvoir se présentera en grand favori, sera le sort de son chef et candidat à la présidence, Jacob Zuma, accusé de corruption.

La date de ces législatives, où l'ANC devra faire face à l'opposition du nouveau Congrès du peuple (Cope), fondé par des dissidents, a été décidée mais sera proclamée ultérieurement, a précisé Kgalema Motlanthe.

Raul Castro se rejouit de la préservation de la paix, la reconstruction nationale, la consolidation de l'unité nationale et de la relance de l'économie angolaise, fruit du rôle positif que joue le Président José Eduardo dos Santos.

Selon lui, la coopération économique et sociale, qui doit etre renforcée a connu une plus grande impulsion lors de la visite de José Eduardo dos Santos à Cuba, en septembre 2007.

Raul Castro Ruz est heureux d'entamer sa visite dans la capitale angolaise, au moment où, le pays a célèbré le 48è anniversaire du début de la Lutte armée du peuple angolais contre le colonialisme.

Deux mois et demi après cette action révolutionnaire, Cuba a également connu de grandes batailles pour défendre sa souveraineté. Les 17, 18 et 19 avril, le 48è anniversaire de la grande victoire de Playa Giron face à l'agression impérialiste sera commémoré.

Le lien historique Cuba/Angola est indestructible, a fait remarquer Raoul Castro, car il est basé sur la lutte commune contre le colonialisme et l'aparthaid, sous la direction d'Agostinho Neto et de Fidele Castro. Fait qui a changé le cours des événements en Afrique australe.

La victoire des forces coalisées angolaises et cubaines contre l'armée Sud Africaine sous l'aparthaid à Kuito Kuanavale a préservé l'indépendance d'Angola, et à la Namibie d'obtenir son autodétermination et de finir avec l'aparthaid sud-africain.

"Nous sommes certains que cette visite apportera des bénéfices palpables à nos peuples qui méritent la préservation de la paix et l'encouragement au développement ", a conclu le Président Cubain.

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has reiterated the ANC statement that it will be returning to Nongoma soon.

“We will go back to Nongoma,” said Malema.

“No amount of intimidation will stop us, not even (Mangosuthu) Buthelezi.

“We will campaign even in his back yard or his house and recruit his children to join the ANC.

“KwaZulu-Natal is the home of the ANC,” he said.

He was addressing thousands of ANC supporters outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday.

Malema’s promise comes after ANC members, including a royal family member, Prince Zebulon Zulu, were shot at while returning from the party’s rally in Nongoma on Sunday.

Meanwhile, ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe has praised the police for the arrest of suspects in connection with the recent spate of violent attacks.

These include the killing of a Msinga chief Inkosi Mbongeleni Zondi, the shooting of Prince Zulu, his daughter-in-law and another woman, as well as the shooting of local ANC chairman Bongani Ngcobo at his party offices.

“This shows that we have a police service we can count on,” Mantashe said.

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has called on UDM leader Bantu Holomisa to publicly apologise for his claims that Jacob Zuma was flown to an ANC rally in Ulundi in an SANDF helicopter.

In his outburst, Holomisa charged that Zuma was not the president of the country.

“How do they justify this?

“If the ANC president insists on arriving in a helicopter, the ANC should hire private helicopters and preserve the image of the SANDF as a non-partisan state institution.

“The resources of the state, especially the security forces, must be seen to serve all the citizens and not used in support of one political party,” said Holomisa.

“Holomisa must apologise for his unfounded claims. Zuma did not use a state helicopter, it was a privately hired helicopter,” said the ANC.

CHALLENGE: Julius Malema

The Eden District Municipality in the Western Cape and the Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape experienced water shortages after its reservoirs ran out.

Operation HUMAN, the SANDF operation in support of both municipalities was launched in the two districts to provide water to the municipalities.

The SANDF has deployed four water bunkers to the Eden District Municipality and six water bunkers to the Amatole District Municipality to help them meet their daily requirements.

"As of 30 January, 367 000 litres of drinking water has been supplied to the town's (Eden District) main reservoir by SANDF teams, using four water bunkers," said SANDF spokesperson Petrus Mothlabane.

The Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, servicing the towns of Adelaide and Fort Beaufort have so far received 137 000 litres of water, pumped from the Fish River and transported to the Adelaide water purification plant.

Operation HUMAN is scheduled to continue until the end of this month, after which the situation on the ground will be re-assessed.

The MK Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) promised to campaign for the ANC in areas where the party is "experiencing challenges", the organisation said on Tuesday.

"MKMVA members are highly trained and experienced in the art of mobilisation," national chairman Kebby Maphatsoe told a media briefing in Johannesburg.

Maphatsoe said veterans are "going to strengthen the ANC campaign in areas where the ANC is experiencing challenges."

MKMVA secretary general Ayanda Dlodlo said these areas included the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, North West and KwaZulu-Natal, where three African National Congress members were shot and wounded after an election rally in Nongoma in Northern Zululand on Sunday.

"We wouldn't want to see a situation in South Africa where certain areas are no-go areas. We do not have people we regard as enemies and therefore we do not expect any other political party to regard the African National Congress as enemies," said Dlodlo.

Referring to the Nongoma violence, Maphatsoe called MKMVA a "political army".

"Our aim is to go there and to explain to the people why it is important for them to exercise their votes independently without any fear of anybody," he said.

Dlodlo emphasised that her organisation's campaigning would be peaceful regardless of whether its members became victims of political violence.

"It's not as if we'll be going there with guns and our uniforms to defend the African National Congress in that sense.

"It's about making sure we are part of the mobilisation and machinery of the African National Congress.

"If violence erupts, there is nothing we can do as former combatants, we don't carry guns, we would rely on the armed forces of the state," she said.

Maphatsoe said that they would engage in "the defence of our people, but politically".

MKMVA would also campaign amongst current members of the SA National Defence Force. The organisation believed that voter participation among SANDF members had been too low in past elections.

Dlodlo said members of the military were able to participate in election campaigns provided they were not in uniform and activities took place in non-working hours.

Claims that ANC President Jacob Zuma was flown to a political rally in a SANDF helicopter were unfounded, the ANC said on Monday.

The United Democratic Movement on Monday condemned the "abuse of state resources for ruling party campaign purposes", after claiming two military helicopters were used to transport Zuma to an ANC rally in KwaZulu-Natal.

"Mr Zuma is not the president of the country -- how do they justify this? If the ANC President insists on arriving in a helicopter the ANC should hire private helicopters and preserve the image of the SANDF as a non-partisan state institution.

"The resources of the state, especially the security forces, must be seen to be serving all the citizens and not used in support of one particular political party," party president Bantu Holomisa said in a statement.

However, ANC spokesman Carl Niehaus said Zuma flew in privately rented helicopters.

SA National Defence Force spokesman Brigadier General Kwena Mangope said: "We don't transport politicians to political rallies, that is policy."

The SA National Defence Force has provided ten water bunkers to two municipalities experiencing water shortages, a spokesman said on Monday.

Colonel Petrus Motlhabane said four water bunkers were provided to the Eden District municipality in the Western Cape on January 25, 2009.

"As of January 30, 2009, 367,000 litres of drinking water has been supplied to the town's main reservoir by SANDF teams, using four water bunkers," Motlhabane said.

Six water bunkers were provided to the Amathole District municipality in the Eastern Cape on January 28, 2009.

The SANDF team in this area has thus far provided 137,000 litres of water, pumped from the Fish River and transported to the Adelaide water purification plant.

"Operation HUMAN is scheduled to continue until February 28, 2009, whereafter the situation on the ground will be re-assessed," Motlhabane said.

The SA National Defence Force will support the police in dealing with any pre-election violence that might flare up around the country, Defence Minister Charles Nqakula said on Monday.

Responding to questions from journalists in Cape Town shortly after delivering an opening address at an international military chaplains conference, he said the safety and security minister was the lead ministry when it came to such matters.

"With regards to deployment, it is this ministry (safety and security) that requests the SA National Defence Force to be part of whatever plan they design.

"I would assume that we are going to be following a similar course this time around where, not just in KwaZulu-Natal, but wherever there is a threat of violence, we normally deploy forces.

"[These] would be a combination of the SA Police Service, as the lead department, and the SA National Defence Force in a supporting role."

Nqakula's response to the question on deployment followed an outbreak of violence in northern Zululand at the weekend, including attacks on African National Congress members, allegedly by Inkatha Freedom Party supporters.

HOURS after ANC president Jacob Zuma appealed for political tolerance in KwaZulu Natal, three ANC members, including a member of the Zulu Royal House, were shot in Nongoma in northern Zululand yesterday evening.

Both the ANC and the IFP staged major rallies in the area yesterday, amid tensions following attacks on two high-profile ANC leaders in the province and the shooting of a traditional leader in the past few weeks.

Police said yesterday the man attacked was Prince Zeblon Zulu, a member of the Zulu Royal House.

Spokesperson director Phindile Hadebe, who was in Nongoma yesterday, said Zulu was wounded in the hand by an unidentified gunman as he left the ANC’s rally near Nongoma.

Two women in the car following his were also shot and wounded, one of them critically.

She was airlifted to a Durban hospital, Hadebe said.

The shooting took place after the defence force was called in to the area to reinforce hundreds of police already deployed.

Earlier, four people were injured when IFP members tried to blockade the road from Ulundi to Nongoma and stoned vehicles carrying ANC supporters to their rally – leading to pitched battles with police, who used stun-grenades and pepper spray to disperse them.

A short while later, Zuma called for political tolerance in KwaZulu-Natal while addressing thousands of his supporters at KwaSeme village, outside Nongoma.

Two SANDF helicopters and four army vehicles stood by.

Zuma told the rally ANC provincial chairman Dr Zweli Mkhize would report the stoning of the buses to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and said political intolerance would not be tolerated.

“I am very concerned about the attacks. The matter will be taken to the IEC. We believe that the IEC will take necessary steps. We want to make sure that no one is blocked from doing what they like because that is against the Constitution,” said Zuma.

KwaZulu Natal MEC for safety and security, Bheki Cele, personally intervened during the attempted blockade of the road, ordering police in charge to clear it.

Cele, also an ANC leader in the province, said he had been called to intervene.

“They were causing chaos. I told IFP’s national organiser Albert Mncwango to tell his fellow party members to stop blocking the road. I told him that the police were going to deal with them if he did not tell them to stop,” said Cele.

He said hundreds of police officers had been deployed to prevent any confrontations between IFP and ANC supporters.

In his speech at the rally, Zuma expressed concern at the incident as well as recent attacks on high-profile ANC members in the province.

The ANC deputy chairman in Nongoma, Mantobela Ngcobo, was shot and wounded in both legs while at the party office in the town a day before the rally.

Sthembiso Cele, the chairman of the ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal’s Umgababa branch on the south coast, was shot dead on January 23

Zuma on Saturday attended the funeral of traditional leader, Inkosi Mbongeleni Zondi, who was shot dead on January 22.

Police top brass in the province had earlier raised concerns that the two parties had been granted permission to hold major events on the same day in the same area following the attacks.

Zuma hit out at the concept of “strongholds” and “no-go areas”.

He said it was unfortunate that the province was still confronted with incidents of intimidation and violence.

“I thought we had passed that stage.

“This will reflect badly on the party responsible for this behaviour,” Zuma said, in a barely veiled reference to the IFP.

Zuma said when complaints were levelled against the ANC about the behaviour of its supporters, he told them to be tolerant.

“No part of the country belongs to a particular political party,” he said.

Speaking mere kilometres away, IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi told supporters he had received reports that Cele had instructed police to use force to disperse people on the road to Nongoma.

But he also told his supporters that all parties were allowed to canvass anywhere in the country.

Anticipating clashes between IFP and ANC members, the ANC had on Friday changed its venue to avoid holding its rally just a stone’s throw away from the IFP event.

The party was scheduled to hold its rally in the Mona area, but moved it to Bukhalini area, 3km away from the original venue.

Meanwhile, Mncwango last night denied that IFP supporters attacked the buses ferrying ANC supporters.

“ANC leaders must stop pointing fingers at our members. This is very reckless and it will fuel tensions. They must just leave the police to conduct investigations,” he said.

Mncwango accused ANC leaders of being irresponsible, saying they were not supposed to hold the rally near the venue where the IFP was also holding its function.

“We started planning our event in December and the ANC knew about it, but they went ahead and held their rally in Nongoma on the same day.”

After the rally, defence force vehicles were seen driving into Nongoma to start patrolling in the town. A short while later Prince Zulu’s vehicle was attacked.