Durban — The Deputy chairperson of the ANC and Health MEC in KwaZulu Natal, Nomagugu Simelane, told traditional headmen (izinduna) at the Amajuba region over the weekend that they would be compensated for the work they do in the communities.
Simelane, who was said to be passing the message on from the KZN government, said izinduna working under their chiefs between April 1, 2013, to March 30, 2016, would be paid in full. The ones who worked after that would be paid for three months only.
The Daily News reported at the beginning of the year that the ANC provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma said R630 million in backpay would finally be disbursed to izinduna. Duma said this while closing the party’s two-day lekgotla in Durban in February. Both Duma and KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube confirmed that the money would start being paid in this month.
Simelane said izinduna would be paid in different categories, and not at the same time. Furthermore, before Simelane met the izinduna she went to meet the chiefs from Amajuba to let them know about the izinduna backpay and how it would be rolled out.
A statement on the Department of Health’s social media page read: “Simelane’s visit to Amajuba, and where she is the MEC champion, is part of KZN Cabinet’s decision, that the MECs meet with the chiefs and izinduna in all regions to explain in detail the decision to pay their salaries.”
There are an estimated 3 000 headmen who will benefit from R630m backpay. Each induna will receive about R270 000. The backpay figure was initially estimated to be about R1.5 billion but was later revised to R600m after it was realised that not all izinduna were there when then-president Jacob Zuma signed the proclamation in 2014. When the proclamation was made it was said that the payment of izinduna would be backdated to 2013, but they received their first payment in 2017 with no backpay. Since then they had been fighting with the government and there were threats of election chaos and a boycott.
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