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AmaMpondomise chiefs in battle for kingship

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Trouble is brewing in the AmaMpondomise nation in the Eastern Cape as it awaits the reinstatement of its kingship.

A group of disgruntled chiefs from Tsolo is accusing the Phalo royal family of sidelining other clans within the AmaMpondomise nation in appointing the royal family.

Chief Bambelela Mbhabhama has accused the royal family of appointing its members from the Matiwane and Velelo clans only, leaving out other clans.

In May last year, the Mthatha High Court declared that AmaMpondomise did have a kingship and ordered it to be reinstated.

Mbhabhama says they don’t recognise the Phalo royal family.

“The Matiwane and Velelo houses appointed few individuals who want to serve their own interests. We don’t even know how they came to name themselves after Phalo because Phalo was not the first nor the last king of AmaMpondomise. The last king was Mhlontlo himself. We therefore disregard this so-called Phalo royal family. All clans involved must be consulted when appointing a royal family because they know the history of the nation. They must also take into consideration government policies,” says Mbhabhama.

Nkosi Phakamisa Tyali of the Phalo royal family has refused to be dragged into the matter, saying they can only discuss it after the government has issued a certificate of recognition.

“We have an existing great place and everybody knows where it is. If there’s anyone who’s aggrieved or he was not consulted, he is at liberty to consult or to go to the great place to raise his concerns. At the moment, as the royal family, we are not in any state of discussing this issue up until our kingship has been approved and the government has given us a certificate recognising our current king,” says Tyali.

 

Watch video on the acting King of AmaXhosa following the death of  King Zwelonke Sigcawu in November last year:

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