KZN Premier calls for peace after court ruling settles Mbuyazi clan chieftainship

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala has called for peace and stability in the Kwambonambi area on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast after a court ruling which settled the deadly battle for the chieftainship of the Mbuyazi clan.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court decided in favour of Mkhanyiseni Mbuyazi, who is to be installed as inkosi of the clan.

The dispute has been raging since 2005 and has claimed the lives of at least 12 people.

The deadlock also stalled the payout of land claims of more than R60 million, paid out by Richards Bay Minerals, a subsidiary of mining giant Rio Tinto.

The leadership dispute, which has been fought in various courts including the Constitutional Court, also affected operations at Richards Bay Minerals.

Premier Sihle Zikalala explains, “The court then ruled that government should reinstall the previous chief. Now that the matter has been settled, the family must reunite so that there is peace. Because if they are divided with instability in the family, it will bring about chaos and it will be easy for an outsider to do things to further destabilise the clan.”