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

DATE: TUESDAY, January 18, 1994                   TAG: 9401180081
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA                                LENGTH: Medium

ZULUS RALLY, STRIKE FOR AUTONOMY

With time running out on their demands for autonomy, 15,000 Zulus brandished spears and guns Monday in a show of strength outside President F.W. de Klerk's office.

The rally came as de Klerk met with Zulu King Goodwill Zwelethini and Mangosuthu Buthelezi, leader of the kwaZulu homeland, in another bid to persuade Zulu leaders to support the nation's first all-race election in April.

Buthelezi, who also leads the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, wants guarantees of Zulu autonomy as a condition for taking part in the vote. His nephew, the king, supported the demand Monday.

They fear a new constitution will allow the African National Congress to govern unchecked and eliminate kwaZulu, along with Zulu culture.

"It amounts to the expunging of the very name of my kingdom from the constitution of South Africa," said a statement issued by Zwelethini.

Zulus in black townships near Johannesburg dragged black commuters from cars and taxis Monday to enforce a call for Zulus to skip work and attend the rally in Pretoria, 37 miles to the north, according to police and witnesses.

At least two people were killed in what police Lt. Deon Peens called a "campaign of intimidation," and a police report said one Zulu supporter was stabbed to death in Pretoria. Nine other people died in Johannesburg-area townships.

A joint statement issued after the meeting with de Klerk said a working group would study how the Zulu monarchy and kwaZulu could be part of post-apartheid government.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB