THE SOUTH African government has decided that six of the country’s 13 tribal kingdoms will lose their royal status upon the death of the incumbent king or queen following recommendations made by a traditional leadership commission.
Addressing a press conference in Pretoria on Thursday on the findings of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, South African president Jacob Zuma said ending the king and queenships should not be seen as a sign of disrespect against those affected, but rather a way to “correct the wrongs of the past”.
“The apartheid regime created its own traditional leadership at the expense of authentic leadership in some communities. It was how those in charge divided and disunited people. All we are doing is correcting the wrongs of the past,” he explained.
In 2004, former South African president Thabo Mbeki established the commission after years of controversy over which of the current royal households could be considered legitimate, given the manner in which different apartheid governments tried to weaken various tribes through the years.
The seven chieftaincies that will now be recognised by the government as royal kingdoms are: the AbaThembu, the AmaXhosa and the AmaMpondo in the Eastern Cape province; the AmaZulu in KwaZulu-Natal province; the BaPedi ba Maroteng and the VhaVenda in Limpopo province; and the AmaNdebele in Mpumalanga province.
It is now feared a number of power struggles may ensue, as well as court actions by those who have been dispossessed of their standing, but Mr Zuma asked those who felt aggrieved not to approach the courts but rather negotiate.
“I would actually personally – and I am not stopping anyone who wants to go to court – advise that matters of this nature are best discussed among communities, families rather than going to court,” said Mr Zuma. The commission will now turn its attention to the next layer of traditional leadership – the principal traditional leadership, senior traditional leadership and headmanship – to consider which should be phased out.