Legislators in Buthelezi’s tribal “homeland,” KwaZulu, last week shouted down the head of a commission responsible for ensuring the fairness of the April 27 polling. He was there to get Buthelezi to pledge to cooperate. In response to the snub, the election commission recommended that the government directly intervene in the territory. as it has in every other defiant “homeland” ‘within the last month. Buthelezi wants international mediators to review his demand for an amendment giving more power to regional politicians. He also wants to delay the vote. Pretoria has made it clear that the election will go forward as planned, under a proposed constitution it laboriously negotiated with the ANC and other par-Lies. But there still may be room for compromise. President F. W. de Klerk said he was encouraged after meeting with Buthelezi on Saturday, but he offered few details. The lives of hundreds of South Africans depend on how long the chief plays his dangerous waiting game.
