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'SA would be in a better state had it become a Federal Republic': Buthelezi

Picture credit: ESA ALEXANDER.
Picture credit: ESA ALEXANDER.

Mangosuthu Buthelezi does not buy into the idea that South Africa is a rainbow nation, he instead believes the country is like a salad bowl where a few vegetables come together but are easily distinguishable from each other.

The IFP leader believes that the country would have been in a better state had it become a Federal Republic.

During negotiations for the country's democracy prior to 1994, Buthelezi supported the idea of a Federal Republic which he believes would have worked better for South Africa.

Quora describes "federal republic" as "a non-monarchical political system where power is shared between a federal government and several state/provincial governments" while Reference describes it as "a type of government made up of smaller areas such as states or provinces where the central government cedes certain powers to the individual areas for self-government purposes."

This is a type of state Buthelezi wanted for South Africa.

"At that time, we were insisting in a form of state during negotiations because we believe that South Africa should be a federal state like Nigeria, like the United States so on," he said.

"Because we are a nation of nations, we're a multicultural nation. I like the expression that we're a rainbow nation, but I don't think so. I say that we are just like a salad bowl, where a tomato is a tomato, where cabbage is a cabbage and that is the position in many countries, India and so on."

Speaking on Power FM, he said that although his arguments were not accepted, he believes the country would be in a much better state.

"I believe in that but it was not accepted but I thought that things might have been better if we had taken that route, but that's all I can say about it."

 

 

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