Ndamase led her people with dignity

Royal renowned for her fairness

Born: Died: Burial:

July 13 1950 August 28 Saturday in Maqevu Great Place The AmaMpondo royal family and AmaFaku royal clan are mourning the death of Queen Nobonke Zanokhanyo Ndamase.

The 68-year-old queen – a close relative of Western Mpondoland monarch King Ndamase Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase – was the head of the Cwele administrative area in Ngqeleni. She passed on on Tuesday last week after a long illness. She will be laid to rest at her home in Maqevu Great Place on Saturday.

According to the Ndamase royal family, Queen Nobonke, who died of kidney failure, had been in and out of hospital since September 2017.

As a female traditional leader, she led her area of jurisdiction, following the death of her husband Nkosi Hlokomile Reuben Zamuxolo Ndamase in 1994, with dignity and stability.

Her death is a setback for the royal family as the Mpondo nation is working towards the coronation of the monarch early next month.

On Thursday, King Ndamase led a delegation of the Faku royal clan to officially visit and pay their last respects to the woman who led her traditional community for more than 24 years.

King Ndamase, through his spokesperson Chief Jongusapho Bokleni, said Ndamase’s death was a huge loss to all Mpondo people.

“She was a very developmental traditional leader, a peace-loving person who

Humble queen was strict at times

brought no shame to the traditional leadership and AmaMpondo at large, and contributed immensely towards the development and credibility of AmaMpondo,” said Bokleni.

Her eldest son, Prince Letlaka Vuliphiko Ndamase, described her as a loving mother.

“We are saddened by the loss of our mother but we saw her being sick for almost a year,” Prince Letlaka said.

“God decided to take her and we believe she is in a better place now. We will always miss her but we have a lifetime of memories with her as a caring mother.”

Community and Great Place spokesperson Mphuthumi Maqubela expressed sorrow at the death of their leader.

“She was a humble and peace-loving traditional leader. However, she was a disciplinarian and strict at times.

“She was a perfectionist. She treated all community members equally, irrespective of their status and she never had favourites among community members.”

Maqubela said Ndamase led five villages – Lusizini, Ezinyosini, Julukuqu, Cwele and Gqeba.

She is survived by five children and 10 grandchildren.