The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) government said it would soon fix security measures at the homes of traditional chiefs and headmen in the province.
Traditional leaders, who play vital roles in various communities in the province, especially in rural areas have been facing a security dilemma, as they are targeted and killed, while some are threatened.
The House of Traditional leaders said their safety is now a major concern, with the provincial government saying it had been met with various demands in this regard.
The chiefs and headmen met with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in Pietermaritzburg on Friday.
KZN COGTA MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi:
“All Amakhosi are saying is that they want their houses to be fenced and to be safe when they get home and their gates to be automated. We are saying those are the matters that we can elevate to the next level.”
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
The department promised to install cameras at their homes, proper fencing, and lights for those who don’t have them.
Sithole-Moloi, however, said the government could not guarantee the safety of traditional leaders.
“We can’t guarantee the safety of Amakhosi because it’s not in our hands to say [that] surely by doing these things, Amakhosi won’t be killed.”
And while the government vowed to assist with security measures, the chiefs believe more can be done, proposing VIP protection on top of the department’s security promises.
This article first appeared in Eyewitness News on 11 November 2023.