AmaMpondomise throne ‘twice lost’
An elderly leader of the AmaMpondomise left hundreds of mourners teary-eyed as he spoke about the nation’s painful past of having their kingship stripped from them.
Paying tribute to AmaMpondomise Queen Mother Nolitha Matiwane, who was buried at Kroza Great Place in Qumbu on Saturday, AmaMpondomise Royal Council chair Peter Madasa, 88, called on the ANC-led government to help restore what was rightfully theirs.
Matiwane was a AmaRharhabe senior princess and the eldest child of King Mxolisi Sandile. She died on November 12 at the Stutterheim Hospital at the age of 65.
Her husband, King Welsh Matiwane, was a descendant of AmaMpondomise King Mhlontlo. He was stripped of his kingship by the colonial government following the murder of Qumbu magistrate Hamilton Hope at the start of the AmaMpondomise Revolt in 1880.
“We cannot rejoice to have been robbed of our kingship by the colonial government, and then our democratic government upholds the notion,” said Madasa.
“Instead of correcting the past injustice and distortion of African royalty, our government seems to be continuing the cruel British punishment inflicted upon us.”
Although Mhlontlo was acquitted of the murder, he lost his kingship by administrative action in about 1904. However, the AmaMpondomise continue to recognise themselves as a kingdom and in 2012, installed Matiwane’s son Luzuko as monarch.
Matiwane was the head of the Ebhotwe Traditional Council between 1984 and 2012, head of the Emboland Traditional Region and founding member of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders.
“The colonial government accused us of killing their magistrate, but we were acquitted. So what have we done to this government that again we are deprived of our kingship? Does the ANC only have regard for us at voting time?”
Madasa said the fight for the restoration of the AmaMpondomise kingship would be back in court on December 6.
“If the government is not hypocritical, but believes that AmaMpondomise indeed have kingship, it must support the move instead of opposing it or upholding the British deliberate distortion of African royalty,” he said.
Madasa said four key people in the fight for their kingship had now died: two kingship claimants, a lawyer and now Matiwane.
Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, chair of both the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA, said both institutions supported AmaMpondomise in their claim for the kingship.
Although the AmaMpondomise have been divided, Matiwane’s death has united the Jola and Dosini houses.
Both contributed cows towards the funeral.
AmaRharhabe acting Queen Noloyiso Sandile and her son Crown Prince Jonguxolo Sandile led the delegation of AmaRharhabe, while Princess NomaXhosa Sigcawu led the delegation of AmaXhosa.
Nkosi Zwelicacile Ndamase led a delegation of the AmaMpondo and Prince Zolile Makaula the delegation of AmaBhaca.
The ANC delegation was led by provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi.
Human rights lawyer, activist and Law Society of South Africa and National Democratic Lawyers co-chair Mvuzo Notyesi, who has been representing AmaMpondomise in their quest for kingship, said he would not have been a lawyer today if it was not for the financial support from Matiwane and the AmaMpondomise...
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