CONGRESS OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS OF SOUTH AFRICA
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL-SECRETARY
Public statement of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa following the ordinary meeting of the National Executive Committee held on the 9th to 11th March 2018 at the Lakes Hotel & Conference Centre in Benoni, Gauteng Province.
CONTRALESA held its first NEC meeting after the December 2017 National Conference that elected the new leadership. The NEC meeting considered the implementation plan for the resolutions taken during the conference.
CONTRALESA President, Kgoshi Mathupa Mokoena delivered the political overview and the marching line of what needs to be done by the organization to assist society with growth and development, especially rural and peri-urban communities that are on the margins of the main-stream economic activity in South Africa.
Kgoshi Mathupa Mokoena was upfront on the LAND question and has called upon all Traditional Leaders and their communities to brace themselves for the real push for the transfer of land to its original owners, the African majority. The President said, “The starting point is for the National Government to officially transfer all communal land to the Traditional Authorities with immediate effect”.
The NEC resolved to arrange an urgent meeting with the ruling party, the African National Congress to address a myriad of issues that remain unresolved in the country. CONTRALESA wants a clear program and timeframe on the resolution of expropriation of land without compensation.
The NEC resolved to support His Majesty, King Goodwill Zwelithini Zulu and the entire community of the Zulu Kingdom on the issue of Ingonyama Trust. The attempt to temper with the Ingonyama Trust is tantamount to dispossession in a post-colonial era. In this regard, CONTRALESA resolved to launch a campaign entitled “Hands Off Ingonyama Trust”.
CONTRALESA NEC also resolved to commence with a public campaign calling for the amendment of the South African constitution holistically. Whilst the constitution of South Africa is celebrated elsewhere in the world as the best document, here at home the African majority feels very much suffocated and humiliated by this constitution. The current constitution does not talk to the African culture and values of Ubuntu, instead it espouses European values as well as Roman-Dutch laws.
Contralesa is also calling for the change of the electoral laws of the country. A dual system of party political representation and constituency based participatory representation must be considered urgently. The current electoral system is very divisive and the factional battles that manifest in political parties tend to transcend to the whole nation.
The result of factionalism in political parties is that it causes a colossal tension amongst our people. Most importantly, the manner in which we elect the State President is in itself factional. Contralesa believes that South Africa should now introduce Presidential Elections. Once a candidate is elected as President of the Republic, he/she should resign his membership from the political party and become the father to all citizens. The NEC will soon launch a campaign calling for a REFERENDUM to change the constitution.
The NEC took a decision to meet all the progressive formations in the country to discuss with them the land question, amending the constitution and other matters that require collective attention.
The NEC further resolved to convene a PATRIOTIC FRONT during the course of this year to deal with a variety of matters that will help the nation to move forward. CONTRALESA is not pleased with the performance of our economy, especially with the fact that it remains entrenched in the hands of white minority.
The NEC expressed its disgust at Inxeba Film that undermines one of the most sacred rituals of the African society. It is worse that our government has financially supported such a valgarised film production with public funds. This film is an attack on the soul of the African people, it reduces women into objects and it is an utter misrepresentation of our tradition.
Lastly, CONTRALESA will be hosting a number of activities in each and every province of the country to promote the Institution of Traditional Leadership. We call upon our people to remain proud as Africans and should stop at nothing in practicing their rites and customs wherever they reside in this country. CONTRALESA is forever willing to protect you!
Statement issued by HRH Zolani Mkiva General-Secretary, CONTRALESA, 16 March 2018
