By Grant Ferrett BBC Africa analyst

Buthelezi is known for his last-minute U-turns

A forceful personality, he was described by one observer as being "capable of switching between unbridled charm and ruthless bellicosity".

Before being dropped from the new cabinet, he managed to remain a nationally important figure as home affairs minister for 10 years, even though as leader of the mainly-Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party his political base was essentially ethnic and regional.

No other leader of the numerous semi-autonomous homelands set up under apartheid managed to make such a successful transition to the national stage following the introduction of multi-party democracy.

A Zulu chief, Mangosuthu Buthelezi was once a member of the African National Congress, but became a fierce critic of the organisation during the 1980s.

He denounced its support for armed opposition to the apartheid authorities and its backing for international sanctions.

Colloboration

He became best-known internationally in the early 1990s, following the release of Nelson Mandela and the transition to majority rule.

Survivors of violence

His party refused to participate in negotiations to draw up a new constitution.

Violence between his Zulu supporters and those of the African National Congress reached alarming levels.

An estimated 12,000 died in what some feared could degenerate into a civil war.

Members of the security forces fanned the flames.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) later accused Inkatha of collaborating with white supremacists to carry out gross human rights violations.

The allegations prompted an angry response from Inkatha.

Publication of the TRC's final report in 2003 was delayed until a series of changes were made at the insistence of Chief Buthelezi's party.

He has denied ever authorising or condoning human rights abuses.

'One-party state'

His transformation from a hate-figure for many ANC activists to ally and cabinet minister came after his last-minute decision to lead his party into the historic 1994 elections.

The ANC will not rest until it has consolidated in its hands the totality of power in South Africa Mangosuthu Buthelezi

The violence in what became KwaZulu-Natal ebbed away and Mr Buthelezi became home affairs minister in the national unity government.

He retained his position after the 1999 elections, even though the transitional constitution which helped to bring him to office no longer applied.

But relations with the ANC worsened to such an extent that a row over new immigration regulations earlier this year ended with the bizarre spectacle of President Thabo Mbeki taking his home affairs minister to court.

During the election campaign, Chief Buthelezi accused Mr Mbeki of being determined to establish a one-party state, telling supporters: "The ANC will not rest until it has consolidated in its hands the totality of power in South Africa."

"We are at the closure of a cycle which, in spite of its many conflicts, has served South Africa and has brought us closer to the point where our democracy can finally be regarded as having come out of the woods of transition."

Even though he is now out of government, Mangosuthu Buthelezi is likely to retain one of the highest profiles in South Africa.