Durban - The two-session meeting between KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu and representatives of Ubumbano Lwezinduna - KwaZulu-Natal’s headmen - over pay expectations has stoked more anger among the latter as their demand has not been met.
The headmen want their standardised annual salaries of more than R84 000 as per President Jacob Zuma’s proclamation last week.
They believe they are being undermined and this could prove disastrous for the provincial government in next year’s local government elections.
The meetings, attended by about 50 headmen from 12 traditional authority areas in KwaZulu-Natal, were held on Thursday morning and afternoon in Mayville and Springfield Park.
Vusumzi Mthethwa, a headman and spokesman for the group, said they were disappointed with Mchunu’s handling of their demand.
“On Monday we were talked out of a march we planned for Tuesday at Cogta buildings in Pietermaritzburg. We were invited to the negotiation table in the form of (Thursday) meetings to iron out the salary issue. Instead, the premier shifted from the agenda that was agreed upon and talked about legislating Izinduna who did not attend traditional councils. Our agreement on Monday was that when we come into this meeting we wanted to hear what they were putting on the table that we could take back to the rest of Izinduna until they (government) get funds to pay what is due to us,” said Mthethwa.
He said Mchunu’s deviation from the salary issue was an indication that he was not willing to meet them half-way. He said this irked other headmen in the meeting.
“One induna told him (Mchunu) to his face that this government has turned out to be that of thugs. My belief is that we are used as pawns in a political game by the ruling party. Government never expected us to work towards having rural people opening their doors for officials to canvas. They never expected that the ANC would be able to access certain parts of the province and have Izinduna facilitating their engagement with the communities. It looks like it’s going to be difficult from now on because Izinduna are not happy with the reluctance to pay the salaries,” he said.
Mthethwa stressed that the ANC only came into rural communities through headmen.
The headmen had planned to march on Cogta offices on Tuesday to seek answers to why they had not been paid.
The Daily News reported on Monday that if no satisfactory response was forthcoming, the headmen threatened to disrupt the elections.
It was reported last week that Zuma had decided to standardise salaries for izinduna, with a R84 125 flat rate annual salary, as recommended by the Commission for Remuneration of Public Office Bearers.
There are more than 2 000 izinduna in the province and the department would need about R171 million to cover their salaries annually.
When the government started proclaiming salaries in 2006, provincial headmen did not receive salaries. Instead they received monthly stipends of R1 300.
Cogta’s Lennox Mabaso confirmed in previous Daily News reports that headmen still needed to be paid salaries dating back to 2006, the time government started proclaiming salaries for them.
“Izinduna have lost faith in Premier Mchunu. They are of the view that we must go ahead with our planned march. We will consult with Isilo (King Zwelithini) to get his view on this salary issue and we are considering taking the legal route,” said Mthethwa.
Premier Mchunu could not be reached for comment.
Daily News