Pretoria, 29 July 2010 – Findings of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, popularly known as the “Nhlapo Commission”, indicate that South Africa has only seven legitimate Kingships and another six whose kingship/queenship status will come to an end on the death of the current incumbent in the position.

 Click here for the Nhlapo Commission documents

Five of the seven kingships and their kings have been confirmed by the Commission and approved by the President of the Republic, while the remaining two are still awaiting the Commission’s recommendation on the rightful incumbent for the position of King or Queen. However while the issue of the incumbent is still to be resolved, the President has nonetheless approved all of the seven kingships.

Following the announcement by the President today, the status of at least two of the current Kingsinps in the country will cease on the deaths of the current incumbents as their kingships were found to be illegitimate and were thus not confirmed by the Commission.
President Jacob Zuma’s announcement today brings to an end speculation, particularly among rural traditional communities, about the outcome of the work of the Commission which was set up in 2004 to attend to all disputes on paramountcies and chieftaincy, area of jurisdiction of traditional leaders and the legitimacy of the position holders.

In terms of the Commission findings, existing kings which were found not to qualify for the status of a kingship, will now be allocated a Principal Traditional Leadership status where the position is vacant, but where there is currently an incumbent who is legally recognized, he /she will continue as a king /queen until he/she passes on, whereupon the successor will automatically be deemed a Principal Traditional Leader.

In situations where there is someone acting in the position, the incumbent will continue acting until a successor is identified, and will automatically also be recognized as a Principal Traditional Leader.

On the basis of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Amendment Act, 2009, the seven recognized and legitimate Kingships in South Africa are those of Abathembu under King Buyelekhaya Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo, AmaXhosa under King Zwelonke Sigcau, AmaMpondo under King Zanozuko Sigcawu, AmaZulu under King Zwelithini Zulu, AmaNdebele wakwaManala and AmaNdebele as a whole, as well as VhaVenda. The rightful incumbents for the positions of King or Queen for amaNdebele and VhaVenda will be determined by a new Commission, which will be set up through the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2009.

The new Commission, which will be set up by August, will deal with ten (10) claims to Kingships that were handled by the Commission, but did not succeed. The previous Commission had 59 claims to Kingships which will in future be processed by the new Commission. In total, the Commission had received 720 claims for investigation. It will report to the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Issued by the Ministry for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).