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Since the recent passing of the amaMpondo King, King Zanozuko Sigcau the amaMpondo nation have been puzzled as to who their current King is. The confusion stems from the divisions and controversial debates within the royal family.
The division has caused confusion and some level of frustration in the people of EmaMpndweni. One young person said “This division affects us as young people because the development that was supposed to happen in our area is being delayed because there are disputes and one side is pulling to their side and the other pulling to their side.” said Nolizwi Faku from Buhlanyanga in Lusikisiki.
To put an end to the confusion the AmaFaku royal family under the Mzindlovu royal kraal have called a meeting of the amaMpondo nation known as Imbizo yamaMpondo where chief Mbangatha chairperson of AmaFaku Royal family explained to the nation of amaMpondo who their legitimate King is. Speaking to the masses and explaining how the AmaMpondo kingship works, chief Mbangatha explained that when a king dies the relevant people from the royal family must sit a meeting where they elect the next king. He said no individual can decide on their own that they are suitable for the throne. He said “Just because the late King Zanozuko Sigcau died, that does not mean his successor will automatically come from his house but the successor is elected by the entire amaFaku Royal Family.”
“The kingship of AmaMpondo was given to the kraal of Sigcau unanimously by all kraals of AmaMpondo. The kingship of AmaMpondo till this day is in the house of Sigcau because AmaMpondo have never sat down again to unanimously say the kraal of Sigcau is being stripped of their kingship. The problem in the house of Sigcau is the house of Sigcau having disagreements amongst themselves, having each one seeing themselves as suitable for the throne. There is only one Sigcau kraal and not two. Therefore sit down all you children of the King you will be told by us kraal of Sigcau who is King, the same way Sigcau was elected by us. Children of the same house cannot quarrel amongst themselves with each one saying the throne is theirs. In Kingship no individual can see the throne as theirs instead the royal house sees the one suitable for the throne. If anyone in the Sigcau house sees the throne as their own, then they have unfortunately missed the AmaMpondo tradition because no justice system and elect an AmaMpondo king because matters of kingship are tradition.” Said Chief Gungubele Mbangatha, chairperson of the AmaFaku royal family.
The king of AmaMpondo said the event was very important because it helped clear the confusion amongst the AmaMpondo nation. “This gathering is very important because I have noticed that there is deceiving interference in the AmaMpondo nation by people who are saying things that are not known in the great place and things that are not in the records of the great place. It became necessary to gather the AmaMpondo nation to remind them of things and our traditions of AmaMpondo and remind them who they should take their instructions from. Not to listen just to anyone who shouts in these social networks.” Said King Daluxolo Sigcau of AmaMpondo.
This traditional leader of AmaMpondo added that “It is important for us to work with the government because the government is part of leadership and when the government came to us in 1910 they came through Kings and chiefs. So this relationship will not end in my reign that is why I’m saying the president of the country the premier of the province must come because there are major projects here that must be worked on. We do not like what happened in eXhobeleni in Bizana because what happened in Xholobeni with the mining thing, it is not like people of Xholobeni do not want mining but the consultation did not happen correctly and people of Xholobeni felt undermined and only certain individuals were taken by the government to work with. So for things to happen the government must work with us through proper channels just like in other nations where the government goes through the great palaces. Where they talk to chiefs and chiefs take the message to the king, if the king has questions he calls the government again to have more talks for clarity so that the kingship and government have a relationship. That also helps in avoiding that thing of projects that start and end before they are completed.” Said the King of AmaMpondo.
King Daluxolo Sigcau of AmaMpondo also commented on the violence and high crime in Lusikisiki and said “This thing happening in Lusikisiki is new and it is unusual we do have plans in place to fight this. We need to have regular meetings with the police and secondly when we want to have police stations in rural areas that are stationed there.” Added the AmaMpondo king.
