Riyaz Patel
The Ingonyama Trust could not be repealed or reviewed without the consent of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) has charged.
The rection came after the presidential advisory panel on land reform called for a review or total disbandment of the Trust.
Contralesa president Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena said the panel’s call would imply that the king was abusing his powers, saying this was not warranted.
King Zwelithini is the sole trustee of the trust which controls about three million hectares of land in the province.
The presidential advisory panel on land reform recommended that land under the trust be transferred to local government with increased ownership for occupants.
But Kgosi Mokoena said a change to the Ingonyama Trust as it exists would not be accepted until the king said so.
“If they can impose anything without getting buy-in from the king and his people, it will never be effected in KZN,” he said.
He said any shortcomings related to the trust were supposed to be addressed to the king.
Kgosi Mokoena said Contralesa noted that there were many people, including politicians, who wanted to do away with traditional leadership.
But he insisted that many people in rural areas still depended on and respect traditional leaders who were often closer to them than elected officials.
