Outspoken Xhosa King Mpendulo Sigcawu went at it again yesterday when he lashed out at the government’s operation Msiphathisa, dubbed “War Room” yesterday.
The king called the War Room plan a ploy to undermine traditional leaders and their structures on issues of development.
The monarch did not spare the rod on Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle when the two leaders met at the Nqadu Great Place near Willowvale yesterday.
The private meeting was also attended by finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo, cooperative and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa and the mayors of Mbhashe, Mnquma and Amathole.
The three-hour meeting in the boardroom had the public in the adjacent hall in a panic over time.
Some people who arrived as early as 9am left at 1pm without the public meeting having started.
Speaking to the media, Masualle said it had been a tough meeting.
The king said: “It should be clear that I am no fan of this thing called War Room. The premier is saying that he manxadanxada building war rooms, initiatives that seek to undermine the dignity of kingship and traditional leadership. I am totally against that.”
The king said no consensus was reached on many issues raised by him and his council with the premier and his delegation.
Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape, especially in the area of King Sigcawu, are against establishing the war rooms in their areas.
The king said he felt he was being sidelined in the many Wild Coast developments taking place.
“In other areas there are minerals where communities are found to be receiving royalties. Here we have no minerals but we have the sea and our people need to benefit from fish and other products. Instead, the people benefiting are wealthy people from faraway areas. Locals do not benefit. This cannot be right and I have told the premier that we, as the king’s council, need to be directly involved in all that is being done on our Wild Coast shores.”
The king also complained about the forced removal of people and the demolition of their homes along the coast near Elliotdale.
The king said: “We are not fighting the government. We want to work together.”
Masualle responded: “I think we, as government, need to improve the element of development and take traditional leadership into our confidence. The War Rooms are not intended to replace traditional leadership structures nor to compete. Instead they are there to complement.”
He said that some of the issues raised by the king would be passed up to national government.
“I really appreciate that the king was frank and it was indeed a good meeting,” said the premier. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Sigcawu unhappy with ‘War Room’
The king called the War Room plan a ploy to undermine traditional leaders and their structures on issues of development.
The monarch did not spare the rod on Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle when the two leaders met at the Nqadu Great Place near Willowvale yesterday.
The private meeting was also attended by finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo, cooperative and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa and the mayors of Mbhashe, Mnquma and Amathole.
The three-hour meeting in the boardroom had the public in the adjacent hall in a panic over time.
Some people who arrived as early as 9am left at 1pm without the public meeting having started.
Speaking to the media, Masualle said it had been a tough meeting.
The king said: “It should be clear that I am no fan of this thing called War Room. The premier is saying that he manxadanxada building war rooms, initiatives that seek to undermine the dignity of kingship and traditional leadership. I am totally against that.”
The king said no consensus was reached on many issues raised by him and his council with the premier and his delegation.
Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape, especially in the area of King Sigcawu, are against establishing the war rooms in their areas.
The king said he felt he was being sidelined in the many Wild Coast developments taking place.
“In other areas there are minerals where communities are found to be receiving royalties. Here we have no minerals but we have the sea and our people need to benefit from fish and other products. Instead, the people benefiting are wealthy people from faraway areas. Locals do not benefit. This cannot be right and I have told the premier that we, as the king’s council, need to be directly involved in all that is being done on our Wild Coast shores.”
The king also complained about the forced removal of people and the demolition of their homes along the coast near Elliotdale.
The king said: “We are not fighting the government. We want to work together.”
Masualle responded: “I think we, as government, need to improve the element of development and take traditional leadership into our confidence. The War Rooms are not intended to replace traditional leadership structures nor to compete. Instead they are there to complement.”
He said that some of the issues raised by the king would be passed up to national government.
“I really appreciate that the king was frank and it was indeed a good meeting,” said the premier. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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