BY DR LIONEL MTSHALI MPP
LEADER OF THE INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY
KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT

Ladies and gentlemen

I was amused to hear the former senior member of my provincial Cabinet, the former senior member of two previous IFP-led provincial cabinets and the current KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Mr JS Ndebele, tell the provincial Parliament yesterday how he and his ANC-led administration invented international relations in 2004 when they came into power.

Since then, Mr Ndebele claims to have "reconnected KwaZulu-Natal with the world" and "formed alliances with those international communities that can be partners in development". It would appear from this extraordinary, self-serving account that the province was indeed cut off from the rest of the world, or "self-secluded" as Mr Ndebele puts it. Mr Ndebele would no doubt have you believe that he - almost single-handedly - rescued KwaZulu-Natal from the proverbial biblical deluge.

Now let us consider some facts. That international business community was prepared to invest in a new South Africa after 1994, was hardly the result of the two-decade long campaign for sanctions and disinvestment, promoted by the ANC Mission-in-exile.

On the contrary, the credit for the trust of most post-apartheid investors in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa is due to those who consistently and convincingly opposed these destructive policies, namely the Inkatha leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. His warm friendships with many contemporary leaders of the Western nations earned Inkatha some impressive international credentials at a time when the ANC secluded itself in the diplomatic doghouse.

Likewise, Mr Ndebele need not preach to the IFP about the benefits of foreign trade, investment, assistance programmes, partnership ventures or donor-funding. Inkatha and later the Inkatha Freedom Party have long understood, appreciated and encouraged free international enterprise, multi-national business co-operation and philanthropy, even at a time when the ANC stubbornly believed in Marx.

In order to boost his and his party's international credentials, Mr Ndebele boasts a list of engagements with foreign businessmen since 2004. Let us take a closer look.

* Mr Ndebele mentions that "Belgium has committed a R60-million grant over five years at R12-million a year to our food security programme". Belgium indeed did so, only under my - not Mr Ndebele's premiership - back in 2002.

* Similarly, when Mr Ndebele speaks of the vibrant business links with China and India, which have yielded much innovative technological expertise, he neglects to mention that these links were, in fact, forged during my time as Premier.

* In addition, the previous IFP Premier's * that is Dr Ben Ngubane's - administration secured funding to the tune of €200-million from the European Union for Cato Manor facilities and infrastructure.  This finance was made available to the then City Council of Durban with the assistance from the then IFP Minister of Housing, Mr Peter Miller.

* Then there was the internationally acclaimed and award-winning public-private partnership with the United Kingdom, which produced a project in the form of Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital. The signatories to the partnership were none other than former IFP Minister of Finance, Mr Peter Miller, and the current MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

* There was also my hugely successful investment-generating trip to China. The Mayor of Shanghai, who is the equivalent of our Premier, reciprocated the visit and thoroughly enjoyed the exposure not only to urban, but primarily rural KwaZulu-Natal. The Mayor's visit to the formerly coal-producing regions of Newcastle and Dannhauser outlined the possibility of job creation through assembling of bicycles and investment in textiles.

* On another occasion, a high-powered government delegation from the Reunion Island paid a visit to the University of Zululand and nearby Agricultural Colleges. This particular connection produced bi-lateral co-operation in the field of agriculture.

* I can briefly recall many other successful foreign trips and investment initiatives during my tenure as Premier. Among the latter is the Zululand schools project involving the Japanese and a number of environmental programmes in co-operation with the Americans.

As someone who has seemingly invented international relations for KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Ndebele could perhaps explain to us why the South African government - led by his party - at times pursues a most bizarre, contradictory and apparently counter-productive foreign policy.

Mr Ndebele could tell us why the ANC so often sides with the countries like Cuba, Libya and Zimbabwe against what he himself calls the "traditionally affluent Western nations". It is obvious that our close co-operation with these pariah states brings South Africa very limited economic benefits. More than anything, South Africa is tainted by association with the regimes whose human-rights record is questionable, if not downright disastrous.

Mr Ndebele, who claims to appreciate the value of good public relations in the international arena, could also explain to us why the US Envoy to the United Nations, Mr Stephen Lewis, and a host of other international authorities so bitterly criticise his government's policy on HIV/Aids.

I cannot omit the fact that Mr Ndebele made his unreasonable outburst in response to a parliamentary question about his recent trip to Germany. Even more worrying than his outburst is that Mr Ndebele did not answer the question. The IFP merely asked how many members of his office took part in his trip to the 2006 Soccer World Cup, how much the trip cost and whether the size of the delegation was justified for the purpose of the trip. We wanted to know nothing more and nothing less.

By refusing to answer a parliamentary question, Mr Ndebele prevented an elected public representative from exercising his oversight role over the executive arm of government. Mr Ndebele has effectively denied the tax-paying public an insight into the internal affairs of his administration. This is the very "anti-democratic nature" of governance Mr Ndebele in his response attributes to the erstwhile KwaZulu Government led by Inkatha.

Given the importance of this trip to the 2010 Soccer World Cup in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, Mr Ndebele's behaviour sets a dangerous precedent. He has given the political opposition and the public every reason to suspect that his overseas visit was in some way irregular, excessive or unjustified.

But most of all, none of this attitude conforms to Mr Ndebele's concept of KwaZulu-Natal as a "province at peace with itself," which he considers to be his own creation. On the contrary, this was the kind of uncalled for outburst which brings back the bitter days we in the IFP would like to forget.

I thank you.