Message by His Excellency Deputy President David Mabuza on a courtesy visit to His Majesty, King Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini

Silo Sethu, Bayede, Wena Wendlovu!!

NdunaNkulu KaZulu, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi;

Abantwana BaseNdlunkulu;

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs;

The Premier of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal;

Deputy Ministers;

Members of the Provincial Executive Council;

All Traditional Leaders present, and Izinduna.

1. We appreciate being welcomed to come and enjoy the shade of the presence of His Majesty. We are indeed humbled, and privileged to be given such an invaluable opportunity to come and pay homage to the custodian of our greatest Zulu Kingdom.

2. Once again, we would like to congratulate His Majesty on his ascension to the throne. Your Majesty’s ascension to the throne marks a watershed event in the AmaZulu's rich, world acclaimed history, and customary observance.

3. Moving forward, we would like to convey our well wishes to His Majesty to execute his traditional obligations with humility, dignity, and to the benefit of our historically marginalised traditional communities.

4. Your Majesty, we deemed it appropriate to physically present ourselves before you to announce our presence in your magnificent Kingdom before we engage in a dialogue with Traditional and Khoisan Leaders in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, which is scheduled for tomorrow in Durban.

5. Silo sethu, these engagements are part of the government's efforts to join hands with Traditional and Khoisan Leaders to address broader challenges confronting the Institution of Traditional Leadership.

6. More importantly, it is to strengthen our social compact and collaborative efforts between government, civil society formations, inter-faith, and traditional leaders to fight against poverty, inequality, unemployment, social ills, diseases, illiteracy, and underdevelopment, amongst others.

7. We are here to listen to challenges that you might be facing as leaders of our society and; working together, to find lasting solutions to challenges confronting our communities.

8. His Majesty will agree with us that the Institution of Traditional Leadership as the custodian of our culture and customs play a significant role in the preservation of our customs, heritage, and largely, in the development of our traditional communities.

9. We are pleased to observe that OkaNdaba continues to embrace the all-important traditional customs, and rituals, like Umkhosi WoMhlanga that was revived by our departed Isilo uMdlokombane. May His Majesty’s soul continue to be with us as we build this nation.

10. This is but one traditional ceremony, which contributes to our call for increased social cohesion and moral regeneration within our communities.

11. The culture of the great Zulu Nation displays itself through generosity, solidarity, compassion, and other similar traits. This shows that AmaZulu are more community-oriented than individualistic.
 
Your Majesty.

12. Traditional Leaders have united communities, continue to strengthen the social fabric, and have always defended the way of life of our people as entrenched in the constitution.

13. Since your ascension to the throne, we have taken great satisfaction in the fact that His Majesty has repeatedly emphasized the need to maintain peace and unity as a nation.

14. Through your conduct, His Majesty has given the people of our nation an excellent example of great leadership, and we hereby appeal to His Majesty to continue working hard to bring everyone together for the benefit our communities.

15. Your Majesty, the leadership that you provide for our nation is an indispensable asset in the development of a society that is democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, cohesive, unified, and successful, and in which every one of us is able to realize our full potential.

16. We are grateful that, since taking over the rule of this magnificent Kingdom, you have demonstrated a desire to continue working with us as the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu has done in resolving challenges affecting traditional communities.

17. You have taken up the mantle of a leader and are guiding the people of KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of the country out of the clutches of numerous societal ills.

18. Our government remain committed to finding lasting solutions to problems such as sexual and domestic violence, the mistreatment of children, illegal substances and drug use, immoral behaviours, criminality, HIV/AIDS and TB.

19. As a government, we will continue to collaborate with you and iNdlunkulu in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as we did with the departed Isilo.

20. The late Isilo Samabandla was honoured for his outstanding leadership role in our communities, as well as his contribution towards the social welfare of the vulnerable communities, the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty, hunger, and all social ills in our communities.

21. Indeed, we honour and recognise that our King did all this important work to improve the lives of the people of KwaZulu-Natal, and by extension to all South African people.

22. In his spirit, we must continue to fight until we have zero infections, and we must confront uncomfortable truths on prevailing socio-economic challenges facing our nation.

Your Majesty,

23. Regarding the contentious matter of land that is under Traditional Leadership and as part of our land tenure system, we are considering various options, and the land under Ingonyama Trust is one of these systems of land tenure. 

24. These would be finalised by Cabinet, and will considered alongside the resolutions of the Communal Land Summit which was held in May this year.

25. We continue to serve as the first line of defence for our land, which is traditionally held by the black indigenous people.

26. We will continue to work towards the goal of achieving the growth and sustainability of rural communities by developing policy and legislative reforms, which will guarantee that land tenure rights are secured, ownership of property is transferred from the state to the people, and settlement support is provided to those communities who are legally entitled to it.

Your Majesty,

27. We remain committed to ensuring that our land reform programme delivers to the aspirations of ordinary people.

28. It is imperative that access to land be prioritized as a crucial asset for rural development and economic transformation in order for the land that is held in the custodianship of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders to be exploited for agricultural purposes in a way that is both productive and profitable.

29. We strongly encourage the people who have been given the land to start cultivating it.

30. To guarantee that people who are granted land are able to utilise it productively, government is prepared to provide assistance in the form of support and resource allocations.

Your Majesty,

31. We must join forces to create job opportunities and upskill the youth in order for them to survive in this competitive labour market.

32. As government, we believe and trust that with your support we will be able to develop programmes to redress or bring solutions to an ever-increasing challenge of youth unemployment.

33. We looking forward to strengthening our collaborative efforts with the Institution of Traditional Leadership, and Indlunkulu kaZulu. We hereby pledge our support to your leadership, and guidance to the entire Zulu Nation, and the people of South Africa.

34. Sinohambo olude olusihlalele, kodwa siyaqiniseka ukuthi ngokubambisana nezinhlaka zobuHoli beNdabuko, sizobhekana nazo zonke izinselelo esibhekene nazo ukuze sithuthukise imiphakathi eyakhele izindawo zaMakhosi, siphinde silethe izindingo-ngqangi ezizoletha impilo engcono emiphakathini yakithi.

I thank you,

Wena WeNdlovu, Bayede!!