(28 May 1999) English/Nat

Security in South Africa's violence-prone province of KwaZulu-Natal was stepped up Friday before next week's elections.

It's feared that tensions between supporters of the ruling African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party may boil over into violence ahead of the poll on June 2.

Meanwhile President Nelson Mandela paid a courtesy call to Zulu chiefs on Friday before travelling to Nigeria to attend the inauguration of President-elect Olesegun Obasanjo.

Eighty year old South African President Nelson Mandela, who steps down after next week's election was welcomed by dancing and singing children as he arrived for a meeting with Zulu chiefs.

But most of the chiefs, aligned to the opposition Inkatha Freedom Party, failed to turn up at the meeting amid rumours the party's leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi had instructed them to stay away.

The Zulu-based Inkatha which won control of the province in the last election, denied that the chiefs had been pressurised not to meet with Mandela.

Mandela's message to KwaZulu-Natal's voting community was that they should choose the African National Congress on election day, because it was the only organisation that fought for peace and stability in the country.

Asked whether he was upset at the failure of the chiefs to turn up, Mandela said he wasn't disappointed.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
Q - Are you worried that only a few of them turned up for the meeting ?
"No, we knew before hand who would be here and I came nonetheless because of the importance of what I have to discuss with the chiefs that are here."
Q - Were you told that the I-F-P (Inkatha Freedom Party) put pressure on the chiefs not to turn up ?
"I wouldn't like to comment on that because I would like to hear from the I-F-P before I can comment but I am very happy that I was here and I think that it is something that is going to be very fruitful not only to any particular organisation but to the country."
Q - It's your last day here in the province before the elections, what's your message to the people of the town ?
"The greatest achievement that we have made is that we have brought dignity to masses of the people who have never had it in more than 340 years of white occupation in this country. We have restored the dignity of everybody."
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa

Mandela appealed for tolerance among KwaZulu-Natal people.

He said divisions would always remain, but they could be defeated if all were united towards the attainment of peace and stability for their province.

He said it would be unreasonable for anybody to expect the resolution of all problems within five years of democratic rule.

He referred to the A-N-C's "successful" delivery programme of the last five years, including feeding schemes for school-going children, the electrification of homes, and housing.

Meanwhile, a large crowd of A-N-C supporters expressed their disappointment that Mandela had failed to show up at the party's rally at Loskop.

The president could not attend the rally because of an official visit to Nigeria for the inauguration of General Olusegun Obasanjo as that country's new president.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...