Contribution by the Hon. Mr MB Gwala MPL
Inkatha Freedom Party
KwaZulu-Natal Legislature: 26 November 2021
Honourable Speaker –
Confronted with the proposed amended Standing Rules of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, the IFP can only express disappointment that African democracy has been replaced by westernised governance. As we indicated during Committee deliberations, the IFP objects to proposals that go against the very purpose of amending the Rules. These proposals create suspicion that amending the Rules is aimed at alienating the Monarchy.
Our objection begins with the words: “the Monarch may address the Legislature.” It seems that whenever this Government talks about the monarchy or traditional leadership, it uses the word “may” instead of the word “shall” as is done with other institutions. The use of the word “may” is deliberate, undermining our indigenous structures.
Our second objection is the reference to the Premier taking the salute during the official opening of the Legislature, with total disregard for His Majesty the King taking the salute by the SAPS.
Let me remind this House that KwaZulu-Natal belongs to King Shaka, and that treating his descendants with disdain in this House is a display of utter ignorance.
Honouring the King with the salute upon his arrival at the Legislature has precedence even before 1994. We cannot change it. Those who say that there is no provision for this in the Constitution of the Republic must realise that those provisions do not come from Heaven, but from the very same people who are undermining the Monarchy.
It would be a sad day indeed when the salute is given to a Premier but withheld from His Majesty the King. It is an unnecessary provocation of the Zulu people, which may well lead to revolt.
It is equally unacceptable to combine the address by the King, with the State of the Province Address by the Premier. This is clearly aimed at undermining the King’s message to the people, in favour of the Premier’s speech.
Furthermore, the IFP is against the repeal of Rules 25 and 26, both of which relate to the election, role and functions of the Parliamentary Counsellors to the Monarch. In the National Assembly we have a Parliamentary Counsellor and there is no valid reason to delete it from our Rules merely because the IFP insists that two Parliamentary Counsellors – one from the ruling party and one from the opposition –
be present to represent the Legislature when matters of the Legislature are tabled before the Monarch.
The KZN Provincial Cabinet – led by the Premier – seems hellbent on excluding opposition parties. Consider, for instance, their meeting with the King, together with the Speaker, after the recent National and Provincial elections. In its pursuit of self-aggrandisement, the ANC behaved quite strangely by going alone to introduce themselves to the King. The exclusion of opposition parties undermined democracy.
Honourable Speaker; these amendments to the Rules are not happening in isolation.
The Zulu people have been wounded by the withdrawal of the budget for the Royal Household, under the guise that the King has not been appointed. That is wholly misguided and disingenuous, for that budget supports the institution, not the man.
The Monarchy is being treated with absolute disdain, in a step-by-step process to demolish this most fundamental traditional institution.
The decision to stop services for the Royal Household was taken by the very same provincial government that has undermined the customary process of appointing the King, plunging a nation’s future into chaos.
Perhaps I should remind the ruling party what happened when they took power in this province and removed the prayer designed by bishops for the Legislature, replacing it with silence, because some people did not want to pronounce the words “Almighty God”. Or what happened before that, when prayer was taken out of our schools.
Honorable Siboniso Duma is a fly in the ointment. Senior ANC leaders agree that the content in Mzala`s book is full of inaccuracies, lies and deception. Who are Honourable Siboniso Duma and and Mr Mdumiseni Ntuli to continue to peddle lies and propaganda aimed to discredit the Prince of KwaPhindangene, who is a pillar of strength to the monarchy, and traditional institutions throughout the African Continent.
The lies are shaking the bones of icons such as His Excellency, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, and His Excellency, Oliver Reginald Tambo.
It would be wise for the ruling party to tread lightly when it treads on such sacred institutions.
As a sign of our resentment and to show solidarity with the King and the concerned people of KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP has no choice but to abstain from voting on this Report.