INKHOSIKATI, CHIEF IN POWER STRUGGLE

NHLANGANO – A power struggle between a chief and his mother, who is also an inkhosikati, resulted in a commotion over the weekend.

The commotion took place at Mashobeni, when the recently installed Chief, Prince Mthunzi II, called a meeting to announce the new indvuna lenkhulu. It was gathered from reliable sources that there was a dispute of power between the new Chief Mthunzi II and Inkhosikati LaGabheni. The inkhosikati was overseeing Mashobeni before the chief was blessed by His Majesty King Mswati III last year.

Duties

It was gathered that there had been tension between the two ever since the chief assumed his duties. This was evident in the past week, as the chief instructed Umntfwanenkhosi Lomkhulu Sam Mdluli, who was also acting Indvuna, to call a meeting as he wanted to announce the new indvuna. It’s a cultural norm that when a chief assumes power, he is expected to choose and announce members of his council, whom he will work with. If he so wishes, he can retain the former council. Mdluli, however, did not call the meeting as he was allegedly still paying allegiance to the inkhosikati.

Meeting

The meeting was eventually announced on national radio after the chief made means to have it aired. On Saturday, the community members who went to attend the meeting were turned back by a community police member who informed them that the meeting was illegal and unknown to the inkhosikati. This act left many residents confused. It was alleged that the community police member was sent by Sam, to block the people from entering the chiefdom premises and convening the meeting. When called for comment on the matter, Sam, who also spoke on behalf of the Inkhosikati, said he first wanted to clarify that he was not picking sides between the inkhosikati and the chief, adding that he was neutral in the whole matter. When asked why he did not call the meeting as instructed by the chief, Sam said he went to consult with the relevant people and came across challenges. “I then advised the chief to talk to his mother (inkhosikati) about the meeting and he seemed to understand,” he said.  

According to Sam, culturally, even after the chief had been installed, he was expected to first host his officiating ceremony (sibhimbi) after which he should then build his own umphakatsi where he would rule, not to live under his father’s umphakatsi.

Issues

When pressed on the issue of blocking people from going to the umphakatsi for the meeting, he said inkhosikati used his name to block the people as that was what he was told when he consulted, otherwise he knew nothing about the matter. Some of the Mashobeni princes said the chief assumed his position soon after he was blessed by His Majesty King Mswati III, adding that sibhimbi took time to prepare and mostly it was done when he had already assumed his position. Despite the commotion, the meeting proceeded at Mashobeni on Saturday wherein Chief Mthunzi, appointed and announced Reggie Lukhele as the new Indvuna.

In an interview with Magadeyiwile Mdluli, one of the Mashobeni bantfwabenkhosi, who also speaks on behalf of the umphakatsi, he said the meeting continued successfully and Lukhele was the new indvuna of all the chiefdoms under Mashobeni. When asked of Lukhele’s position as he was previously Vusweni indvuna, he said that position would be filled in due time.

Place

Chairman of Ludzidzini Council Chief Mdlaka Gamedze said inasmuch as the inkhosikati was looking after her son; the one who was blessed was supposed to assume the duties of being a chief even if he was still at his father’s place. He wondered what would happen if it could take 10 years for the chief to build his own umphakatsi (kuphuma umuti). He said such would take time but as and when the chief was blessed, it meant that he was taking over. “Inkhosikati ikhona kubuka likhaya yebo, kepha kutsi ingabusa angati kutsi ingakwenta ibusiswe ngubani sekakhona lofanele,” he added in vernacular. Gamedze said the chief was supposed to report matters and decisions he took as well those yet to be taken.

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