THE Lobengula family has rapped Chief Mathema for meddling in the Khumalo clan’s chieftainship “affairs” after he announced that South Africa-based Bulelani Colin Lobengula Khumalo would be crowned King on March 3, 2018.
BY SHARON SIBINDI / TALENT GUMPO
The family promised to unveil its own preferred candidate before December 5.
Lobengula family spokesperson Prince Zwide Khumalo on Friday said it was not possible to coronate Bulelani on March 3 as announced by Mathema.
“Ndebele culture and important cultural institutions continue to be destroyed since the time of settler colonialists in the 1800s. It is not possible to have coronation of a Ndebele King in the name of Bulelani Collin on March 3 as announced by Chief Mathema,” he said.
“Umthwakazi are too astute to be fooled. The people need to realise that the fact that any Chief makes an announcement does not necessarily equate the acts to legitimacy.
“It is sad and unfortunate to realise that a chief abuses his respected position to peddle falsehoods and not care about the damage it is doing to the monarch. The Ndebele people are desperate for closure in their attaining full identity.”
Khumalo said the Bulelani Colin coronation would never happen as he was not chosen by the Lobengula family.
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“The King Lobengula family, as the last house to rule, was given a mandate to identify the heir from among them on November 6, 1997 which was confirmed on December 31, 2014 by the Khumalo clan,” he said.
Khumalo said some members of the Khumalo clan who are not descendants of King Lobengula clandestinely went to South Africa and handpicked Bulelani Colin as crown prince.
“Ayanda Khumalo, Chief Hlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni and now Chief Mathema have been making the announcements without consulting King Lobengula’s house,” he said
Khumalo said only King Lobengula’s house is mandated to identify the heir to the Ndebele throne.
He said Mathema’s announcement was null and void since the Lobengula House was not consulted and the procedure followed was not in tandem with the guidelines of the trust.
Khumalo said not all chiefs agreed with Mathema because they had not been informed or consulted before the announcement.
“The King Lobengula House has no intention to embarrass Chief Mathema, but it is its humble observation that he should avoid meddling in the internal political dynamics of the Khumalo family in their attempt to come up with a legitimate and respectable procedure for this oppressed nation,” he said.
