As the land debate gains intensity ahead of the decision to amend the Constitution to facilitate expropriation without compensation, Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Zweli Mkhize has assured traditional leaders that their land is safe, notes Legalbrief.

The role of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and the tribal leaders in administering vast tracts of ancestral land has been the focus of much discussion. Moves to dissolve the Ingonyama Trust and cede thousands of hectares of traditional land to the state had raised the hackles of Zwelithini, who issued a call to arms to defend the traditional land.

‘I want to start with this land issue … we agree that land is a big issue for black people,’ said Mkhize on Sunday, according to a TimesLIVE report.

‘There is no need to worry about your land because it's safe. There were conversations recently that made the chiefs think their land will be taken. I want to make it clear that it's not the case,’ he said. Mkhize was referring to a report by the high-level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation and Fundamental Change, which recommended that the Ingonyama Trust Act should be repealed or amended‚ and the Ingonyama Trust should be collapsed. Zwelithini is the sole trustee of the Ingonyama Trust.

‘It (the report) wasn’t something we accepted as the ANC. It was a report we knew was being tabled in Parliament. We made it clear to the king at the meeting we had to discuss the Ingonyama Trust,’ he said.

Mkhize touched on the autonomy of Zulu rule and the powers and functions of the amaKhosi. ‘We need to fix and address the powers and functions of the chiefs. We have started that process and have a team to get the chiefs to work with Cogta to discuss this matter,’ he added.

Full TimesLIVE report