King Zwelithini continues resistance to land panel recommendations on Ingonyama Trust
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has once again dug in his heels regarding the recommendation of a high-level panel appointed by Parliament to review legislation on land reform.
One of the recommendations made by the high-level panel, which was chaired by former president Kgalema Motlanthe, was that the Ingonyama Act, that was enacted just before the democratic elections in 1994, be repealed, News24 previously reported.
Zwelithini has previously sent veiled threats and made personal attacks on Motlanthe, among others, regarding this recommendation, saying it would not happen on his watch. He is the sole trustee of the Ingonyama Trust which administers more than 2.8 million hectares of land in KwaZulu-Natal under the Act.
According to a SABC report, Zwelithini told a large group of women during the Umkhosi Wesivivane in KwaNongoma, in the north of KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday that he was still waiting for a member of the high-level panel to talk about the matter with him directly. He maintained that the land "belonged" to the royal clan and said this would not change anytime soon.
"I want you to know that this land belongs to the current reigning King of AmaZulu [and] previous Kings and Queens and will not be taken from us. It will not die or be taken during my reign and your time. If we allow that, history will judge us harshly."