Mandla dismisses land grab claims

DURBAN:020809 Mandla Mandela – man on a mission Madiba’s grandson is intent on uniting members of the AbaThembu tribe, writes |Chris Makhaye MANDLA Mandela has the air of a man on a mission. And his mission, to pull together members of a scattered tribe, has attracted the attention of politicians and traditional leaders. He already carries on his shoulders the burden of living up to a legend, as the grandson of Nelson Mandela, but he also has other ambitions. If his plans succeed, the current ANC MP could become one of the most powerful traditional leaders in the country, playing the role of traditional prime minister to the Aba-Thembu monarchy in much the way the Buthelezi family has for the Zulu monarchs. In KwaZulu-Natal last week on his mission to unite the AbaThembu, he took time out to explain why this drove him. He and his entourage of AbaThembu and other royal delegates from the Eastern Cape were on their way to the house of Sphamandla Mthembu in Umsinga, the area said to be the seat of the first AbaThembu kingdom during the early 1800s. King Buyelekhaya Dalind-yebo of the Eastern Cape AbaThembu could not make the trip because he was in Libya as a guest of Muammar Gaddafi. We met Mandla Mandela at a Durban hotel restaurant where he presided at a large corner table. On his right was Bonaphilisa Mandela, a royal courtier who is the son of Nelson Mandela’s younger sister, Naphilisa. On his left sat Nomcebo Mthembu, the secretary of the newly formed AbaThembu interim committee. A few minutes into the interview we were joined by Vusi Mvelase, a rising black empowerment operative who chairs the interim committee. The three – Mandela, Mvelase and Mthembu – spoke of why they were undertaking the herculean and controversial task of uniting AbaThembu from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal under one kingdom and king. Bonaphilisa Mandela nodded often in approval. He said the AbaThembu were a unique nation in the kaleidoscope of South Africa and “even AbaThembus from the Eastern Cape are not Xhosas”. Mandela spoke fiercely and eloquently, perhaps like his grandfather would have done in his youth. Heritage “The initiative of uniting the AbaThembu of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal arose from the desire of the Aba-Thembu of Mvelase in KwaZulu-Natal to unite with their brothers and sisters in the Eastern Cape. “I looked at this concept and felt it was the same thing as Muslims uniting in Mecca to share their values and culture,” said Mandela. “We are trying to create a real picture where Aba-Thembu must come under one umbrella and practise their culture and heritage without prejudicing other nations and their culture,” he said. He said he had read stories about him trying to relocate two million AbaThembu from KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern Cape. “Who in his right mind can try to do that in today’s South Africa? What we are doing is rekindling Aba-Thembu’s sense of nationhood wherever they are in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Botswana.” He said before coming to KwaZulu-Natal he had telephoned the Zulu royal household to convey to King Goodwill Zwelithini his plans. “We as AbaThembu believe that since the Zulu kingdom has long been established, King Goodwill can play an instrumental role in developing other kingdoms like AbaThembu, AmaMpondo, AmaXhosa, AmaVenda, AmaNdebele and others. That is why we would like to get his blessing and assistance,” he said, adding that AbaThembu enjoyed a cordial relationship with the Zulu royal family, often strengthened by intermarriages. But, it seems, King Goodwill has not yet made up his mind what to make of this new effort. Mvelase said his committee had written a letter to the king months ago requesting an audience to explain their efforts, but that letter was yet to be answered. AbaThembu leaders say their nation originated in Umsinga under King Ngoza and was caught up in the incessant wars of the 1800s. Some of the skirmishes were with Zulu battalions. After one Zulu-AbaThembu battle, King Ngoza fled to the Eastern Cape where he later died in Pondoland. His sons are said to have split the kingdom into smaller clans, most of which are in the Eastern Cape. Mthembu said AbaThembu warriors had a particular strategy. “In battle, AbaThembu always fought to take the wealth and people, including the women of the vanquished. Their army had an all-male battalion in the front, supported by women soldiers at the back,” she said. What was so unique about AbaThembu for them to want to unite under one kingdom? Mandela responded, “We are the only nation whose tradition has been emulated by others. When an African takes a second or a third wife, it is said he is taking IsiThembu.” PICTURE: GCINA NDWALANE