Durban — The newly appointed chairperson of Ingonyama Trust Board, Inkosi Mzimela, attended his first meeting with the Parliament portfolio committee on Agriculture and Land Reforms on Tuesday despite Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s continuous dismissal of his appointment.
The department’s spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo confirmed that Inkosi Mzimela was at the meeting, which was virtual. He said Inkosi attended in his capacity as the Board’s chairperson, as the department had earlier indicated that it would not entertain Buthelezi’s statement that Inkosi had been withdrawn until that was said by the king himself in the form of the letter.
Ngcobo said Inkosi presented his vision to the portfolio committee, which was chaired by Inkosi Mandla Mandela, adding that the Minister was also in attendance.
“Inkosi presented well in the meeting and also answered questions from the portfolio committee members, so he is the chairperson of the Board since Buthelezi’s statement meant nothing to Inkosi Mzimela’s appointment.
Prince Buthelezi has been referring to Inkosi Mzimela’s appointment as rumours despite confirmation by the Board and Minister Thoko Didiza that Inkosi was the legal chairperson.
Last week Friday, Prince Buthelezi announced that Inkosi Mzimela had been withdrawn as a chairperson, which was immediately dismissed by the Board and the Minister, affirming that Inkosi was still in charge.
In response to the Daily News story published on Monday, where the paper quoted the Board and the department confirming Inkosi Mzimela’s appointment, Prince Buthelezi again issued a statement disputing the two confirmations. He said: ‘’In my statement, I repeated what the king himself had announced, I was not conveying my own decision or speaking on my own behalf or providing my interpretation,” said Prince Buthelezi
Furthermore , he said, in that meeting, the king phoned Inkosi Mzimela and accepted his pleas to withdraw his nomination, adding that the king then phoned Judge Jerome Ngwenya to confirm his continued service as the chairperson of the Board.
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