Greytown - The Nxamalala clan would not claim to have Greytown back, President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday. Speaking during Inkosi Mathomela memorial lecture in the Greytown City Hall on Saturday night, Zuma said his clan would demand to have the Greytown back.
He is the chairman of the Nxamalala clan royal council. "If we put the claim, we can take back the whole of Greytown. Our coming together tonight is not aimed at causing problems," said Zuma.
Matomela was the great grandfather of the Zuma or Nxamalala people, who are an integral part of the Zulu nation.
The Nxamalala clan owned the Greytown area before it was snatched from them by colonialists and the apartheid government. Greytown, situated on the Mvoti River, was established in 1854 and named after Sir George Grey, the Governor of the Cape at that time.
It was also the birthplace of General Louis Botha, the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Matomela was buried where the Greytown City Hall is situated.
There was a concentration of Zuma people in Mpendle, Nkandla and Msinga, Zuma said. He said if the Nxamalala clan were to put the land claim for Greytown, they would also claim huge portion of Pietermaritzburg.
The Nxmalala clan moved to Pietermaritzburg after they were forcefully moved from Greytown.
"We are not going to claim these areas. We are gathering here to remember our roots. We are doing this because we believe that every South African should be proud of what they are," said Zuma. Matomela had played a huge role in uniting the Zulu people.
"He had good relations with Shaka, the founder of the Zulu nation. They met here. Matomela pledged his support to Shaka."
Zuma said he was concerned about the ignorance among young people about their history.
"The influence of Western culture is huge. Young people imitate other cultures and they end up being the second best. They are not proud of how they are." The memorial lecture was scheduled to start and 6:30 pm but it started at 8:30 pm because the president arrived late and started delivering his speech at 10 pm. Commenting on the issue of Sikhumbuzo Mhlongo who committed suicide after failing to get an identity document, Zuma said the incident highlighted how violent South Africa was.
"The fact that an official decided to tore up his application shows violence. It shows that we have no feelings for other people," said Zuma.
The fact that Mhlongo had decided to commit suicide showed that there was something wrong with the South Africans.
"Only cowards kill themselves," he said. - Sapa