Ulundi - Some community members of Babanango Village near Ulundi are up in arms over a community trust that is allegedly collecting money from residents using the Zulu King Misuzulu’s name.
The Babanango community trust is led by Mbangiseni Mbuyisa, a king’s appointee who has been tasked with leading the community of eMakhosini, the sacred burial site of ancient Zulu kings including King Jama, Mageba and Phunga of Babanango.
A concerned community member told IOL that the money the trust was collecting was not authorised by Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini or the Zulu royal family.
The community member alleged that the trust was being used as a finance vehicle by Mbuyisa and his inner circle, using their proximity to the monarchy.
One invoice was provided to IOL by the community as evidence that the community was collecting unexplained money from residents, and an annual sum of R50 was collected and it was classified as a customary fee.
“This community trust is conning people, collecting money from them yet the land they are operating on belongs to Ingonyama Trust.
“No one knows why this trust is here and we doubt that King Misuzulu or the royal family knows anything about this trust.
“The land these people are collecting these monies from belongs to Ingonyama Trust and this should not be happening,” said the Babanango resident.
Another resident, also from Babanango, said she had been paying this money for years and she had no idea why the committee under Mbuyisa was collecting it.
“This is very suspicious. Why are we paying this kind of money while we are under Ingonyama Trust,” the resident asked.
Mbuyisa told IOL he was unable to comment on the specifics until he was told who signed the receipt given to the residents.
He said he wanted to first know who signed off on these payments so that he could comment from an informed position.
He said there were several people and committees collecting money from the community of Babanango.
“Once I know who signed the receipt that has been given to you, I will tell you what that money is for,” Mbuyisa said when pressed by IOL.
Asked why his team was collecting money from residents, he said some of the people belonged to land not under Ingonyama Trust and this money was for paying staff of the trust.
“This money goes to paying staff like office clerks and cleaners who are not paid by Cogta (The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs).
“This trust was formed even before he came to power. He found it there and he blessed their existence, so there is nothing sinister about it,” Mbuyisa said.
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