CONTENTS I
I OPINION I
24
CLOSE-UP
Squiggly World
ARTHUR J. MAGIDA
What is a nice Jewish cartoonist from
Brooklyn doing in The New Yorker?
38
LIFE IN ISRAEL
War Widows
RANDI JO LAND
Israel is a good case study for coping
and analyzing society's attitudes.
46
LIFESTYLES
CARLA JEAN SCHWARTZ
A look at teenage musician
Tracy Kash of Southfield.
49
ON CAMPUS
Center Of Activity
ELLYCE FIELD
Wayne State's new Judaic studies
program has strong communal bonds.
54
SPORTS
A Labor Party Anti-Apartheid demonstration outside the South African Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Chief Buthelezi And S. Africa:
The Hype Is Far From Reality
RONALD ARONSON
H
aving just spent five weeks in
South Africa on a lecture and study
tour, I was astounded to read your
article on Chief Buthelezi ("Chief of Zulu
Nation," Sept. 25). It is a strange piece of
writing: It reads more like a press release
from one of Buthelezi's political supporters
than a news article informing us about the
reality of life in South Africa.
After spending a month in Durban, in
the center of "KwaZulu," I think a few facts
need to be noted about Buthelezi, Inkatha,
and KwaZulu:
Buthelezi is widely regarded as a tyrant
in the areas he controls, often ruling with
brute force. To get housing or hold a job in
KwaZulu — a bantustan functioning in
conjunction with the South African state
— requires a membership card in
Buthelezi's political party, Inkatha.
Buthelezi and Inkatha have little ge-
nuine support throughout South Africa, as
revealed in public opinion polls. The highly
regarded CASE survey shows a figure of
eight percent support nationwide in 1985
for Buthelezi; more revealing is that his
support in the Zulu areas of Natal dropped
from 78 percent to 33 percent between 1977
and 1985 as he administered KwaZulu. In
short, he is no longer supported by a ma-
Ronald Aronson is a professor of humanities at
Wayne State University.
jority of his own people who have experienc-
ed his rule.
While Buthelezi professes nonviolence
towards the South African state in the
struggle to end apartheid, the reality is
quite different. While I was there, Inkatha
appears to have been responsible for the
murder of two black teenagers who con-
tested its control of a township near Dur-
ban. Such killings are a frequent feature
of political life in South Africa. In fact, the
most violent black group in South Africa
is widely regarded as Inkatha. Its formula-
tions about "peaceful change" seem design-
ed for white ears.
Buthelezi has significant white support
(including support from individual Jews)
who oppose ending apartheid in the only
way the vast majority in South Africa and
in the world agree it can be ended: by a
political system based on majority rule. The
goal of such "moderates" is to find a for-
mula that avoids "one man one vote."
What about Buthelezi's "love" for the
Jewish people? The pro-Buthelezi "article"
by Charley Levine is obviously designed to
manipulate Jewish fears and flatter Jewish
egos.
Certainly Jewish opinion in South
Africa includes Buthelezi supporters, and
some Jews in Durban work assiduously for
him. But it grossly distorts the complexity
of the situation among South African
Jewry to pretend that there is a single body
of Jewish opinion and that it is anti-ANC
Continued on Page 12
Packing A Punch
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Local NHL hopeful Mike Hartman will
have to switch allegiances.
ENTERTAINMENT
Body By Jake
HEIDI PRESS
Home fitness
has become
big business.
Jake Steinfeld
has muscled
his way to
the top.
SINGLE LIFE
The Happiness Key
105
HEIDI PRESS
Patty Liss has found an ingredient
to get the most out of life.
DEPARTMENTS
30
34
64
70
82
86
91
93
96
100
104
134
Inside Washington
Synagogues
B'nai B'rith
Youth
Cooking.
For Women
Seniors
Business
B'nai Mitzvah
Engagements
Births
Obituaries
CANDLELIGHTING
October 23, 1987
6:21 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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