The recent report by the Daily News has highlighted the silence from Premier Thami Ntuli’s office concerning the Certificate of Recognition for iNyokayezwe yabeNguni, iNkosi Phumlani kaMfeka and the eBuNguni Royal Authority. As a historian whose family has been part of this land for nearly two centuries, I write to demand justice and recognition of the Mfekane lineage.
My ancestor, William Howarth, a global trader from Oldham in Lancashire, settled at St Lucia Bay in the 1840s. He established the first permanent European trading post under the protection, partnership and sovereign authority of King Mkokoba kaNtlekele of the Mfekane. This alliance was so deep that William married Princess Nomandayi Mfekane, daughter of the king, as recorded in the history of South Africa. Their union produced my great-grandfather, Charles Ndaba Howarth, whose name carries the blood of both Lancashire and the ancient Mfekane royal house.
Mfekane Lineage and Traditional Leadership
The historical record leaves no room for equivocation. The 1675 Portuguese chronicle in Portuguese Asia records the “Kingdom of Virangune (eBuNguni)” stretching from the western shores of Lake St Lucia to Maputo Bay, with all land of the Fumo belonging to its king. A.T. Bryant, in Olden Times In Zululand And Natal (1929), described the Mcakweni Royal Palace as “the local Windsor Castle” and Mzingeli kaFunjwa as “an independent king on his own”.
Today, iNkosi Phumlani kaMfeka carries this unbroken lineage with dignity and vision. The Ebunguni Royal Resort and Inkosi Mfekaye Wetlands City he champions represent a transformative opportunity for the ground where my ancestor once traded under Mkokoba’s protection – jobs, investment, and sustainable development rooted in the community that has held these wetlands since the 17th century.
Delay in Issuing Certificate of Recognition
The delay in issuing the Certificate is no longer administrative; it is a denial of both historical truth and constitutional duty. Section 211 of the Constitution recognises traditional leadership according to customary law. The Royal Family has the right to this recognition, and it is our duty to acknowledge and respect their heritage.
Here are some key points to consider:
- The Mfekane lineage has a rich history dating back to the 17th century.
- The eBuNguni Royal Authority has the right to recognition under the Constitution.
- The delay in issuing the Certificate of Recognition is a denial of historical truth and constitutional duty.
