A new organisation for traditional leaders in South Africa has been launched in KwaZulu-Natal, and its leaders said they are not politically aligned and will strictly focus on issues of Amakhosi and traditional leadership structures.
The new body is called the South African Traditional Leaders Organisation (SATLO), and its founding chairperson is Inkosi Khethokuhle Zondi of Mpumuza in Pietermaritzburg, and the Secretary-General is Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela from Mthunzini near Empangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Speaking at the launch, Inkosi Zondi said they have 24 pillars, with land and related matters being the key ones, and all leaders would be allowed to join if they apply.
“One of the pillars is land, we all know that Amakhosi are looking after land and since we live in a democratic era, this structure will work with the government to make sure that land that was taken during the apartheid era is legally returned to be under the control of traditional leaders,” Zondi said.
He added that they also want a land audit that would help Amakhosi to understand what valuable minerals their land holds.
“We have to know what is underneath our land and what is on top, we have to understand how to zone our land for residential and business purposes so that we are in line with urban centres and so that tribal land has the same value as urban land. The reason why tribal land has not value is because it is not properly zoned,” Zondi added.
Furthermore, Zondi said SATLO would address the issue of tribal land that has been restituted land given to trusts instead of placing them under the authority of tribal councils.
“We want to have those laws amended so that we have that land back under the control of Amakhosi.”
Inkosi Mzimela said the idea of the organisation was first discussed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal during a class of Amakhosi who were attending a programme on leadership development.
He said Amakhosi felt they did not have independent platforms to discuss their issues and eventually came up with SATLO.
