KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi is under fire after an organisation representing Izinduna accused him of placing elderly traditional leaders at financial risk. The group claims a failed move to Standard Bank for funeral and pension benefits has left many "uninsurable." Further allegations suggest the MEC is using state resources to implement a "divide and rule" strategy among traditional leadership.
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Ubumbano Lwezinduna, a prominent body representing headmen in KwaZulu-Natal, has issued an urgent public condemnation of the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in KZN Thulasizwe Buthelezi, accusing him of orchestrating a "banking scam" that has left many elderly leaders without essential financial protection.
The organisation alleges that the MEC misled Amakhosi and Izinduna into opening accounts with Standard Bank under the guise of providing pension benefits and funeral cover. According to the group, these benefits never materialised.
The fallout has been catastrophic for many traditional leaders. By switching to the department-mandated bank, many leaders reportedly cancelled their existing long-term funeral policies. Due to the advanced age of many members, they are now deemed "uninsurable" by private firms, leaving their families vulnerable.
"The MEC misled traditional leadership with false promises. This has led to the loss of existing covers and damaged relationships with previous banking institutions," stated Ndunankulu Charles Malinga, Secretary of Ubumbano Lwezinduna.
Allegations of Divide and Rule
The grievance extends beyond financial services. Ubumbano Lwezinduna has accused the MEC of utilising "tools of trade", including vehicles, tents, and mobile fridges, as political leverage to create divisions within the traditional leadership structure.
The group claims that the distribution of these resources is being handled with blatant favouritism, marginalising certain Amakhosi while rewarding others to foster a "divide and rule" environment.
KwaZulu-Natal Cogta MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi is facing accusations of using "tools of trade" to sow division among traditional leaders. Ubumbano Lwezinduna, representing the province's traditional headmen, alleges the MEC is using state resources, including a recent handover of 30 Ford Territory SUVs and GWM P-Series bakkies, to practice "divide and rule" tactics. The group further claims the MEC misled them into a banking scheme that has left many elderly leaders at significant financial risk.
Image: KZN COGTA
Silence on Targeted Killings
One of the most serious charges levelled against the department is its perceived indifference to the safety of traditional leaders. Since 2019, KwaZulu-Natal has seen a surge in the brutal murders of Izinduna and Amakhosi.
While the group praised the Police Killing Task Team (PKTT) for its investigative efforts, they slammed the Cogta department for its silence and its failure to contribute to the funeral expenses of those murdered in the line of duty.
Demands for Oversight
Ubumbano Lwezinduna further accused the MEC of intentionally excluding representative bodies, including themselves and the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa), from departmental platforms. They argue that this is a deliberate attempt to silence organisations that have historically fought for stipends and the well-being of traditional leaders.
"The MEC is reminded that state funds belong to the people and should be utilised for the benefit of all," Malinga added.
"We will not tolerate the misuse of these funds for personal or political gain."
The organisation is now calling on the Cogta Portfolio Committee chaired by Marlaine Nair to exercise its oversight duties and hold the MEC accountable for what they describe as "inhumane and unacceptable" leadership.
On Monday, Nair told the Sunday Tribune that the committee had been informed that the pension fund was on hold.
"The committee would be updated when there was any new developments. As the chair of the KZN Cogta Portfolio committee there have been a number of issues surrounding traditional leadership struggles that have been brought to my attention.
"Since these are a highly sensitive matters, I will be discussing them with the portfolio committee and taking a mandate from the committee as to how to proceed. We definitely are playing our oversight role as a committee. 80% of our Cogta budget is allocated to traditional leadership so it is natural that we would want to ensure that this budget is spent wisely and fairly," said Nair.
DA Member of the Provincial Legislature and KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Marlaine Nair, has responded to appeals for intervention from Ubumbano Lwezinduna. Acknowledging the sensitive nature of the issues, Nair has proposed that a special day be dedicated exclusively to addressing traditional leadership matters within the provincial legislature.
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The Cogta Portfolio Committee chair said she is certain the the committe will have the full co-operation of the department of Cogta in regards to traditional leadership mattersIn fact, adding taht she has requested that special day be set aside solely for all traditional leadership matters to be addressed .
"The committee has the highest respect for all traditional leaders and are constantly fighting for the interests of our traditional leaders especially the verification of all Izinduna. Our job is to ascertain where the gaps are whether in legislation or administration and address them," said Nair.
Department's Silence
The MEC has also come under scrutiny for the purchase of 30 Ford Territory sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and GWM P-300 double-cab 4x4s handed to Amakhosi without any explanation of where the funds came, which were unveiled during the opening of the KZN House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders at the Old Legislative Building in Ulundi last month.
An entry-level Ford Territiory Ambiente costs around R594 500 going up to R734 000 for the high-spec Dark Edition line. The GWM P-300 Series entry-level LS edition retails for R446 950 for the entry level while the high-spec LTD line sells from R699 900.
Nair sent parliamentary questions to the MEC about the vehicles' funding model, emphasising the public's right to know how the funds are being spent. Buthelezi said he had not received Nair's questions, two weeks ago.
At the time of publishing Nair had not received any reply from the MEC's office or department on how much the vehicles cost and how the maintenance and ownership of the vehicles would be managed.
Cogta gave this response on Monday in connection with the letter from izinduna: "The department has no clue as to what Ubumbano Lwezinduna is talking about. What is clear is that there is a concerted campaign to discredit the reforms that the MEC has introduced into the institution of traditional leadership in this province."