INGONYAMA TRUST BOARD Has king lost control of the amakhosi?

KING Misuzulu kaZwelithini has apparently lost control of traditional leaders who ignored his suggestion to abandon the three-day conference that was organised by the Ingonyama Trust Board without his approval.

- WILLEM PHUNGULA [e-mail]

The conference, organised to discuss land management and amakhosi’s role, started with drama on Monday when the king’s Traditional Prime Minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, told the amakhosi that the king and Land Reform Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso were unaware of the conference.

Buthelezi read last year’s memorandum, which the king handed over to the minister during their first meeting.

In the memorandum, Buthelezi reminded the amakhosi that the king had asked the minister to dissolve the board because it was appointed without his or the amakhosi’s input.

He also read out to the amakhosi a letter of intention to suspend the board, which he said came from the minister.

He asked the amakhosi to decide if it was necessary to continue with a meeting, which both the minister and the king, as the sole trustee and the chairperson, were not informed about.