DURBAN - Supporters of the late Zulu regiments leader Induna Zihogozelanga “Mgilija” Nhleko have hit back at the ANC and government for what they called a malicious and pathetic attempt to tarnish his image.
This after ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela and government spokesperson Lennox Mabaso apparently circulated a Facebook post, stating that the late induna was part of IFP leader Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s private army masquerading as the KwaZulu Police (ZP) during political violence between ANC and IFP in the late ’80s.
In a hard hitting statement issued by Injeje yabeNguni Council chairperson, Phumlani Mfeka on Sunday, said his council condemned in the strongest terms ,the ANC KZN's “malicious and pathetic attempt to tarnish the image of the late Zulu Regiments Commander”.
Mfeka said his council had seen the social media post that is being distributed by Ntombela and Mabaso.
The ANC post reads: "Sydney Mafumadi (the first Minister of Police in a democratic South Africa) rejected a list of 200+ Buthelezi's private army (mostly Caprivi graduates) masqueraded as KwaZulu Police trainees during TEC period intended to be integrated into new SAPS. Mgilija being one of them was based in KwaMashu hostel, part of KZP and right hand man of Prince Gideon Zulu."
“This poster by the ANC KZN is clearly meant to tarnish the image of the late commander using the most vile and diabolical method which is unsurprising for the ANC KZN as its state of degeneration and decadence has appalled even the electorate” read the Council’s statement.
“The violence that betook KwaZulu-Natal in the late eighties through to the early nineties was characterized by vast bloodshed that was perpetrated by both ANC and IFP members in the main.
“There are countless innocent families and individuals that were brutally hacked, shot and burnt on untested allegations and rumours by both the SDU and the erstwhile ZPs. It is now apparent that the ANC in KZN with their latest endeavour led by Ntombela and Mabaso, is intent on reopening these old scars.
“Our region had to go through a tiresome reconciliation process wherein those who lost their loved ones in the violence had to forgo the burning desire to avenge their beloved for the sake of peace yet the ANC in KZN is orchestrating a dismantling of this peace, negating to do an introspection of their own dirty bloodied business,” the Council said.
Attempts to get Mabaso were unsuccessful but Ntombela defended the post, saying Nhleko was a ZP (Zulu Police) who was trained in the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, and was attached to the late Social Development MEC prince Gideon Zulu as a bodyguard.
“These are the facts we had to remind other comrades who lost their relatives in Shell House. In essence that is the problem of ANC and people we recruited from the IFP who do not want us to talk about their past,” said Ntombela.
African culturalist, professor Jabulani Maphalala also defended the late induna, saying the ANC should have respected his role as the leader of amabutho and not to say things that sought to undermine him in death.
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa had not responded at the time of the publication.
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