Durban - The king of the Zulu nation, Misuzulu KaZwelithini, has stepped in to resolve the impasse over who is the rightful chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust Board.
The king has since summoned the two contenders for the position, Judge Jerome Ngwenya and Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela, to an urgent meeting in Durban on Monday.
BREAKING: King Misuzulu has summoned Judge Jerome Ngwenya and Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela following the chairmanship of the Ingonyama Trust Board debacle. Early this week, Inkosi Mzimela was announced as the replacement of Ngwenya in a memo to staff. However, on Friday, pic.twitter.com/vCOOsskF1r
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 22, 2023
The Ingonyama Trust manages 2.8 million hectares of tribal land in KwaZulu-Natal. The land is rich in minerals like coal and iron ore, but is also suitable for crop and livestock farming, and nets millions of rands in rental income.
The confusion over who the rightful chairperson of the board is started on Thursday, when Inkosi Mzimela of Golela and Ntshidi in the King Cetshwayo district, was announced as the new holder of the hotly-contested post.
“As part of the process of finalising the appointment of the Board, His Majesty will meet Judge Ngwenya and Inkosi Mzimela,” the king’s office said in a statement on Saturday.
The meeting will be held on Monday, April 24, 2023, in Durban.
NEWS: The traditional prime minister of the Zulu monarch, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi says he is not aware of the appointment of Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela as new chair of Ingonyama Trust Board, replacing Judge Jerome Ngwenya. He says he has only noted that via media reports. pic.twitter.com/F108q2QMVN
“The public and the media will be duly informed of the outcome of the said meeting,” the office added.
Mzimela, a key loyalist of King Misuzulu KaZwelithini, was announced as the replacement for Ngwenya, who has held the position since the time of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini.
The staff of the board was duly informed of the changes in an internal memo dated April 19, 2023, signed by trust CEO Vela Mngwengwe.
Mngwengwe told the staff that he was advised of the changes by the office of Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza.
“On Friday (April 14, 2023) afternoon I was alerted by the Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development that Ingonyama had nominated Inkosi Thanduyise Nkosinathi Mzimela as the chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Ingonyama Trust Board, Mngwengwe said in the memo.
Furthermore, he told staff that they should not take instructions from Ngwenya.
“In view of there being a new chairperson, all officials can no longer take official instructions from the previous chairperson (Mr S J Ngwenya).
Mngwengwe said if Inkosi Mzimela declined the nomination, Ngwenya would not automatically get his job back.
“Since there was a story in newspapers recently about someone being nominated as chairperson of the Board and subsequently declining, I deem it necessary to address that eventuality. In the event of Inkosi Mzimela subsequently declining his nomination, that will not automatically reinstate the chairperson before him,” he said.
“It will mean that Ingonyama becomes the chairperson until he nominates another person,” Mngwengwe said in the memo.
BREAKING: Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela of Obonjeni, Eshowe has been appointed as the new chairperson of the hotly contested Ingonyama Trust Board which manages 2.8 million hectares of tribal land in KZN which has minerals like coals and iron ore. He replaces Judge Jerome Ngwenya pic.twitter.com/7H2fn0O5gM
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 20, 2023
However, on Friday Ngwenya fired back and sent a memo to staff and told them that he was still the chair of the board, and there were attempts being made to oust him and lock him out of his offices.
“Lastly, I wish to place on record my disappointment in noting the high-handed and thuggery behaviour of some members of staff, led by Mr. Mngwengwe, in trying to evict and dispossess me of my office and contents thereto in the most debased fashion, when they attempt to break into my office, change locks and thus become the custodians thereof.
“This is plain criminal conduct and needs appropriate redress,” Ngwenya said in his counter-memo to staff.
Mngwengwe did not respond when asked by IOL about the memo by Ngwenya.
BREAKING NEWS: The battle for Ingonyama Trust Board is heating up. Today Judge Jerome Ngwenya sent a memo to staff and told them that he is still the chair of the board and there were attempts to oust him and lock him out of his offices. pic.twitter.com/nNHLyVxd26
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 21, 2023
On Friday, Amakhosi held a press conference in eShowe, KZN, and expressed concerns regarding the changes and said that they wished the appointment of Mzimela to be reconsidered.
“The land held under the Trust is administered in terms of Zulu customary law by Amakhosi, who in turn are accountable to His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, as the sole custodian of the Trust land. It is against this background that we note with grave concern recent developments around the Ingonyama Trust and its management. We have learned from the media that the Trust now has a new Board and a new Chairperson,” the Amakhosi said.
“This is an unfortunate turn of events, something that has left us perturbed. We wish to place on record that we have not been consulted or asked for input on these developments. Considering that Amakhosi are the pillars of His Majesty’s Kingdom, His Majesty reigns over his nation through us, his servants. And so we have gathered here today to discuss these critical matters and to chart a way forward.
“Our hope is that some of these decisions can still be reconsidered to ensure the meaningful participation of Amakhosi. We see ourselves as the guardians of the land for our future generations,” they said in a joint statement.
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