Durban — The Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) has threatened to create its own parallel government if, among other demands, Amakhosi are not appointed as mayors, the land is not returned, and the money owed to them by the state is not paid back.
The amakhosi were speaking on Tuesday at a press briefing held by Contralesa and Abantu Batho Congress at the Durban International Convention Centre.
Inkosi Nhlakanipho Maphumulo said the organisation had a one-day provincial conference attended by more than 1 500 delegates made up of Amakhosi, iziNduna, secretaries of traditional councils, and various traditional leadership stakeholders.
Inkosi Maphumulo, who is the Secretary of Contralesa, said that on native land under the traditional authority or where the indigenous constituencies were a majority, amakhosi should be appointed as mayors on a rotational basis, taking guidance from the AU.
“With immediate effect, Izinduna must earn a basic salary matching that of ward councillors, including the benefit structure.
“Izinduna are gravely exploited. With immediate effect, secretaries must be recognised as the professionals they are, according to their task descriptions prescribed by Cogta (the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs), and as such should be remunerated a basic salary befitting the prescribed tasks/ duties.”
Inkosi Maphumulo said that the organisation had also decided that the government should consult the traditional leaders when drawing up municipal budgets, as stipulated in the Systems and Structures Act.
He added that the Amakhosi had resolved that they shall not pay a service levy or rates on their native land.
The statement was echoed by ABC leader and deputy mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Philani Mavundla, who questioned why natives had to pay levies on their own land.
“Those who say you must pay for land must first tell us where they bought it, and how the process was done. It is unfair that natives must pay rates and levies when they cannot even afford to buy bread.
“The R350 Covid-19 relief funds received by unemployed people cannot even buy bread for the whole month, but we expect the same people to be paying for services.”
Mavundla said that his party and Contralesa had established a mutually beneficial relationship and agreed to support traditional leaders in their quest for inclusion in the government, and would escalate the matter to the courts if the government failed to meet their demands.
On the matter of land, Inkosi Maphumulo said that they stood by the call of the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, who said that the Zulu nation should submit a single land claim, reclaiming the indigenous Zulu land in its entirety.
He added: “Cogta owes Amakhosi millions of rand that have not been paid. These monies are from 2013 to 2016. We have been asking them to pay the money, and we have decided to approach the courts should they not pay it.”
KwaZulu-Natal chairperson of Contralesa, iNkosi Thulasizwe Ngcobo, said that politicians were living above their means at the expense of the people, and could not show where their source of income was because they were stealing from the state.
“In the Zulu nation, we have become more divided and inequality has deepened. Some areas are more developed than others. How do we explain to our people that others receive better service delivery when others do not even have roads or infrastructure because the government is not doing anything in their communities? All of these things are creating discomfort for us,” he said.
Inkosi Ngcobo stated that the reason Amakhosi had resorted to protesting was that the government was not engaging them on critical issues.
KwaZulu-Natal Cogta head of communications Nonala Ndlovu said that the demands were not necessarily presented to Cogta, and therefore it was not easy to respond, however, she said that the department had been engaging with the national Cogta as well as provincial and national Treasury to resolve the matter.
“As it is, the department does not have funds to pay this amount. Feedback on these negotiations is frequently presented to dully constituted structures of the institution of traditional leaders.”
On the demand for amakhosi to be appointed as mayors, she said: “The government structure of the country is determined by the Constitution and various pieces of legislation.
“Cogta can only operate within these prescripts. An issue of this nature would require a national debate, as well as the amendment of the national legislation.
“The above issue of remuneration and benefits of amakhosi and iziNduna as public office bearers is determined by the Independent Commission on the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers,” said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said that Cogta’s position on the issue of rates and levies was that services that were provided by municipalities and other entities had to be paid for to ensure the continuity of those services.
Daily News