Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini delivered the official address at the opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Thursday.
Image: KZN Legislature / Facebook
In a move that may trigger a legislative battle, Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has announced a formal bid to make changes to the Ingonyama Trust in terms of the national government's involvement, insisting that the land belongs to the Zulu nation and must be managed by the Amakhosi.
In his address to mark the official opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature at Woodburn Stadium, in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday, the monarch declared that the current system, where the Minister of Land Reform appoints the board is an outdated colonial-style arrangement that sidelines traditional leaders.
The king has officially tasked a high-powered legal team, led by retired Judge Isaac Madondo and Advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi, to draft amendments to the Ingonyama Trust Act. The proposed changes would shift the power of appointing board members directly to the king.
“For far too long, government has been making decisions about the land that belongs to Amakhosi,” the king told a packed house.
“As we speak, Amakhosi have no role to play in representing Ingonyama Trust Board arrangements because the board members are appointed by the Minister.”
To ensure the amendments pass through the National Assembly, the king has instructed his Traditional Prime Minister, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, to lead a delegation of the Royal Family and Amakhosi to lobby all 18 political parties represented in Parliament.
“Gone are the days where government must make decisions on behalf of Amakhosi as if Amakhosi do not have knowledge, experience, or insight,” the King asserted.
In a move to balance this call for autonomy with transparency, the king proposed that the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature should exercise oversight over the funds allocated to the Trust and its board.
King Misuzulu reiterated his stance that the monarchy should be the central driver of the provincial economy. He emphasised that land control is inseparable from development.
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