- AmaMpondo King Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase was reportedly left at a government event in Mthatha after senior officials departed without informing him.
- Traditional leaders accuse Eastern Cape politicians of disrespecting royal leaders and treating them as unimportant guests at government events.
Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape are angry after AmaMpondo King Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase was allegedly left sitting at a government event while senior politicians walked away without telling him it was over.
The incident happened on Friday at the launch of the Safer Festive Season Operation at Rotary Stadium in Mthatha.
The event was led by Eastern Cape Member of the Executive Council for Transport and Community Safety Xolile Nqatha.
King Ndamase and other traditional leaders had been invited to attend. The king was also given a chance to deliver a message of support alongside National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.
But things turned sour when senior government officials reportedly left the stadium without informing the king that the programme had ended.
Inkosi Zanthonado Mtirara of the Mthatha West Traditional Council said he had to tell King Ndamase that it was time to leave after noticing that Nqatha and other officials were already gone.
“We felt undermined by politicians and this is something that has been going on for years in this province whereas traditional leaders are treated as a token by these politicians,” said Mtirara.
He said it was painful to watch the king being left at the front table without anyone following the proper protocol to inform him that the event had ended.
Mtirara said he advised King Ndamase to take the matter to the Kings Council because traditional leaders were tired of being disrespected.
He was also unhappy that the king arrived at the event in a damaged vehicle while politicians travelled in expensive German cars.
Mtirara believes politicians look down on traditional leaders because kings and queens have mainly ceremonial roles in South Africa.
He said the disrespect continued when the provincial government published details of the event online but left out King Ndamase’s speech.
According to Mtirara, only the speeches by Nqatha and Masemola appeared to matter.
The Department of Community Safety could not be reached for comment.
During the event, Nqatha handed over 155 vehicles to police stations across the Eastern Cape.
The vehicles are meant to increase police visibility, improve response times and help officers fight crime.
Nqatha also called for cooperation between police, government departments and communities.
Despite his anger over the treatment of the king, Mtirara welcomed progress in the fight against extortion in Mthatha West.
He said criminals had previously forced schools, medical centres and businesses to close.
Mtirara credited King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo for helping bring police intervention to the area.
“The intervention of King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo helped us a lot because we then saw the intervention of the NIU from the SAPS and they fought the scourge of extortions and rooted out the kingpin that was quite problematic,” he said.
He said businesses, schools and medical practices had since reopened, allowing communities to receive services without fear.
