AmaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has called for traditional leaders to be included in the African Union. The king says any attempts to address continental challenges without traditional leaders will fail.
He was referring, in particular, to interventions in violence against foreigners and women in South Africa. The king says it’s high time traditional leaders are included in decision-making.
“I’m saying this to leaders in Africa, especially the African Union. I’m saying they must open doors for the representation of traditional leadership because not all solutions will come from politicians or experts,” Zwelithini said. Traditional leadership is the pillar of the African continent and it mustn’t be sidelined.”
The Zulu king addressed the annual King Shaka commemoration in KwaDukuza, on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. The event is an important day for the Zulu nation to remember their origins.
Dignitaries including the Zulu royal family, government officials and a delegation from China attended this year’s celebration.
Following recent attacks against foreigners, President Cyril Ramaphosa sent special envoys to do damage control in other African countries. The king says he should have sourced wisdom from traditional leadership first.
“Going to different states saying you are going to apologise, without going where people originate from, is not going to resolve the problem,” Zwelithini said.
The king used the occasion to address violence against women and girls.
“Statically, 41-percent of people raped in the country are children, but of this percentage, only four-percent are prosecuted. Why is it such a small percentage?” he said. Next week, the king is expected to address a Johannesburg imbizo that will try to calm tensions with foreign nationals.
In other news – Zondo delays application for a witness to testify in camera #Statecaptureinquiry
The chair of the state capture inquiry, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, has postponed the hearing of an application to have the testimony by former crime intelligence officer Col Dhanajaya Naidoo heard in camera.
Naidoo is currently in witness protection after he penned a 2011 affidavit blowing the whistle on corruption in crime intelligence, and the looting of the division’s secret service account under its former boss, Richard Mdluli. Read more
Source: eNCA
