- Land reform minister Mzwanele Nyhontso this week fired remaining Ingonyama Trust Board members and placed the institution under transitional governance.
- The Trust says funds requested by amaKhosi cannot be paid out and rural communities’ land tenure applications cannot be finalised.
The Ingonyama Trust has warned land reform minister Mzwanele Nyhontso that his decision will stop money reaching rural communities and delay land tenure approvals in traditional areas.
Nyhontso this week fired the remaining members of the Ingonyama Trust Board and placed the institution under transitional governance arrangements.
The Trust said the decision did not follow the rules governing the institution. It said payments that amaKhosi had requested for their communities were now blocked, and land rights applications were stalled.
“These are not abstract governance issues. They have immediate consequences for communities, place severe strain on the operational functioning of the institution, and risk delaying development support, land administration processes and tenure-related security for affected beneficiaries,” the Trust said.
The Trust also raised questions about whether amaKhosi were consulted before the decision. The minister’s letter referred to consultation with the Ingonyama and the KwaZulu-Natal Premier, but made no mention of the KZN Provincial House of Traditional Leaders.
Nyhontso listed a number of reasons for the move in his letter. These included a breakdown in governance relations, internal divisions among board members and multiple resignations before terms ended.
He also pointed to instability in the board’s governance structures, concerns about the sustainability of decision-making, risks to the lawful running of the Trust’s land and the need to protect the public interest.
The minister’s letter said an administrator will be appointed under section 49(3) of the Public Finance Management Act to oversee day-to-day operations while a process to reconstitute the board gets under way.
Pictured above: Minister warned of his decision to dissolve Ingonyama Trust Board.
Image source: Ingonyama Trust
