Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has told traditional leaders that he has long been concerned that the South African government lacks the resolve to address ”the issue of the obliteration of the powers and functions of amakhosi [traditional leaders]” through the imposition of municipalities.
Speaking at Embumbulu district in KwaZulu-Natal in his capacity as undunankulu ka Zulu (the traditional prime minister of the Zulu nation) at the weekend, Buthelezi said the municipal elections of 2000 took place ”without any hitches” because of an agreement between chiefs and Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
He said in a prepared speech: ”The agreement was made in order to ensure that the local government elections in December 2000 took place without any hitches. Some traditional leaders had stated that if the issue of the obliteration of their powers and functions was not resolved, they would ensure that their people did not participate in the December 2000 local government elections.”
Buthelezi also said: ”No less a person than President Thabo Mbeki, the head of state and of government, promised the Coalition of Traditional Leaders of South Africa that he would ensure that the functions of traditional leaders would be upheld.
”Mr Mbeki even signed a letter, which we all have copies of, to the chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders, Inkosi Mpiyezintombi Mzimela.
”In this letter, the president promised that if there was any obliteration of the powers and functions of traditional leaders, he would, if necessary, amend the Constitution.
”It is becoming clearer to any observer, by the day, that it is unlikely that these promises on the amendment of the Constitution by the president, and also the agreement with the deputy president concerning the amendment to the Constitution of Chapters 7 and 12, will ever be honoured.”
These are the chapters dealing with local government and traditional leaders respectively.
Buthelezi said these matters have prompted him and the executive of the provincial House of Traditional Leaders to call a conference of amakhosi on May 17.
”At this meeting, I made an appeal for amakhosi and our councillors to find a modus operandi et vivendi to prevent a clash or conflict between traditional leaders and our people who are councillors.
”I then called a meeting of our councillors on May 30 to convey the same message. We must not allow others to create conflicts between us and our councillors. It is important for us to find ways and means of working together amicably, without any clashes or quarrels of any sort.
”This will test the leadership skills of amakhosi and of our councillors. We have lived with our people from time immemorial. It would be disastrous if we played into the hands of those who are bent on eliminating the institution of ubukhosi [traditional leaders] by succumbing to the temptation of crossing swords, when we work for and serve the same people,” Buthelezi said in his prepared speech.
Buthelezi’s party lost control of the provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal in the April election and has suffered the loss of municipal councillors who crossed to the African National Congress during the recent defection window.
He described the process to the chiefs as follows: ”We have come to a situation in our country where people are being cajoled to literally sell their souls for a mess of pottage.
”We have witnessed what has happened during the recent window of opportunity when the politics of the chequebook and patronage flourished during the crossing-of-the-floor exercise.”
During September’s floor-crossing window, the IFP lost 25 councillors nationwide and gained eight — making up a net loss of 17. In the KwaZulu-Natal government, the IFP holds just three seats in a cabinet dominated by the ANC. — I-Net Bridge