Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi has lashed out at the government, saying its treatment of traditional leaders had reduced them to ceremonial figures.
Launching his party’s local government election campaign in the Eastern Cape, Buthelezi spent the weekend visiting amaXhosa and amaMpondo traditional leaders.
He first met with amaMpondo King Zanozuko Tyelovuyo Sigcau at his Ndimakude Great Place outside Flagstaff on Friday and on Saturday visited amaXhosa King Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu in Nqadu Great Place in Willowvale.
“The government has not been fair to us as amakhosi .
“It is a disgrace that a black government has failed people and their traditional leaders. There are questions as to the relevance and why we as a democratic government continue to have traditional leaders. It really amazes me because even in countries that are democratic like Britain, Sweden, Norway and Holland, there are traditional leaders and kings, and they are treated with extreme respect and dignity.
“Not like in South Africa where we are treated as ceremonial figures,” said Buthelezi.
At Ndimakude Great place Buthelezi was met by amaMpondo people wearing traditional attire and among the influential and respected traditional leaders of amaMpondo was Chief Mwelo Nonkoyana, provincial chairman of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa and an ANC leader.
Although Buthelezi is also traditionally prime minister to the Zulu monarch and nation, his visit to the Eastern Cape was not a royal visit but a political one.
“We have not come to recruit the king nor ask him to speak to his people on behalf of the IFP. We simply come to announce our presence as protocol requires. We have come to discuss the growing interest in the IFP in the Eastern Cape,” said Buthelezi.
In line with the amaMpondo customary practices, Buthelezi was given a bull as token of appreciation by the kingdom for his visit.
“I take a strong exception to the way the king and traditional leaders are treated by the government. Up to now there is not a single piece of legislation which has defined the role and powers of traditional leadership in this country. Chapter 7 and 12 of the Constitution need to be amended,” he said.
“The role we played as traditional leaders has not yet been fully appreciated or documented, but history will prove that traditional leaders led the struggle as much as any of the dominant figures whose names have become synonymous with the liberation struggle,” he said.
Sigcau said that the visit by Buthelezi will work to strengthen the old relationship between the Zulu kingdom and the kingdom of amaMpondo for the betterment of traditional leadership in the country.
“This make us happy to be visited by a veteran traditional leader and politician,” said Sigcau
Speaking about the violence that ravages Xolobeni over the proposed mining, Buthelezi said in KwaZulu-Natal the people fought against mining in St Lucia because it would have killed the environment of an Eden now recognised worldwide. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Buthelezi slams state for disrespect
Launching his party’s local government election campaign in the Eastern Cape, Buthelezi spent the weekend visiting amaXhosa and amaMpondo traditional leaders.
He first met with amaMpondo King Zanozuko Tyelovuyo Sigcau at his Ndimakude Great Place outside Flagstaff on Friday and on Saturday visited amaXhosa King Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu in Nqadu Great Place in Willowvale.
“The government has not been fair to us as amakhosi .
“It is a disgrace that a black government has failed people and their traditional leaders. There are questions as to the relevance and why we as a democratic government continue to have traditional leaders. It really amazes me because even in countries that are democratic like Britain, Sweden, Norway and Holland, there are traditional leaders and kings, and they are treated with extreme respect and dignity.
“Not like in South Africa where we are treated as ceremonial figures,” said Buthelezi.
At Ndimakude Great place Buthelezi was met by amaMpondo people wearing traditional attire and among the influential and respected traditional leaders of amaMpondo was Chief Mwelo Nonkoyana, provincial chairman of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa and an ANC leader.
Although Buthelezi is also traditionally prime minister to the Zulu monarch and nation, his visit to the Eastern Cape was not a royal visit but a political one.
“We have not come to recruit the king nor ask him to speak to his people on behalf of the IFP. We simply come to announce our presence as protocol requires. We have come to discuss the growing interest in the IFP in the Eastern Cape,” said Buthelezi.
In line with the amaMpondo customary practices, Buthelezi was given a bull as token of appreciation by the kingdom for his visit.
“I take a strong exception to the way the king and traditional leaders are treated by the government. Up to now there is not a single piece of legislation which has defined the role and powers of traditional leadership in this country. Chapter 7 and 12 of the Constitution need to be amended,” he said.
“The role we played as traditional leaders has not yet been fully appreciated or documented, but history will prove that traditional leaders led the struggle as much as any of the dominant figures whose names have become synonymous with the liberation struggle,” he said.
Sigcau said that the visit by Buthelezi will work to strengthen the old relationship between the Zulu kingdom and the kingdom of amaMpondo for the betterment of traditional leadership in the country.
“This make us happy to be visited by a veteran traditional leader and politician,” said Sigcau
Speaking about the violence that ravages Xolobeni over the proposed mining, Buthelezi said in KwaZulu-Natal the people fought against mining in St Lucia because it would have killed the environment of an Eden now recognised worldwide. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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