AmaZulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini is apparently embroiled in a battle for control of the Ingonyama Trust with the KwaZulu-Natal government.
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A fallout between AmaZulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini and the Kwazulu-Natal provincial government has emerged following the government's alleged alteration of Misuzulu's proposal to control the Ingonyama Trust.
At the centre of the fallout is the apparent battle for the control of the roughly 2.8 million hectares of land that is controlled by the Trust's board. The king wants direct control of the affairs of the board, however, the province is said to be unhappy with giving such powers to the king and wants the national government to hand over those powers to the province.
A source close to both the government and the royal family, speaking on condition of anonymity, on Monday said the king and the provincial government no longer see eye to eye over who should have the final word over the appointment of the board.
Misuzulu announced during the opening of the KZN Legislature in February that he wanted the Trust Act to be amended and for him to be given powers to appoint and dismiss the board.
The source said soon after the king's announcement that the provincial government made a proposal to Misuzulu that the national government should cede those powers to the province instead of the king.
The insider said that Misuzulu then called an imbizo at Mashobeni royal palace last month and asked Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi and Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli to present the government's proposal to traditional leaders - the proposal was rejected by amakhosi, according to the insider.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli is said to be pushing for the placement of the Ingonyama Trust under his government.
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The source said that the king then asked the former board chairperson, Judge Jerome Ngwenya, to present to amakhosi the background of the Trust.
The king also asked Ngwenya and a lawyer to be part of a delegation to meet political parties in Parliament. The meeting took place two weeks ago without the king’s appointed delegation.
During the opening of the Legislature in February, the king announced that he had appointed the retired KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Mjabuliseeni Madondo and Adv Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC to assist in drafting the proposed amendments.
The king also directed his royal council which included Buthelezi as Traditional Prime Minister, Royal Chancellor inkosi Malusi Zondi, Vice Royal Chancellor Prince Africa, Prince Nathi Zulu, Deputy Prime Minister inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza and Prince Thulani Zulu, the king's spokesperson and Arnold Nododile who is the king's private secretary, to go with the legal and cultural experts to meet with 18 political parties in Parliament and lobby them to support the amendment.
However, only Prince Nathi and inkosi Chiliza formed part of the delegation which was led by Buthelezi.
“The trip to Cape Town was not blessed by the king. There is a cultural expert that pulled out the night before the trip after he was informed by the king that the trip no longer represented the king's interests.
"To add to that, there are many political parties who called us aside and said what was presented in Parliament was not what the king announced during the opening of the Legislature. The parties raised concerns that it makes no sense to move the Ingonyama Trust from politicians in Pretoria to other politicians in Pietermaritzburg,” said the insider.
Provincial government spokesperson Bongani Gina had earlier on Tuesday said he was consulting with Cogta to provide a consolidated response, however no response was provided at the time of publication.