‘ Sekhukhune must play ball ’

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KING of Bapedi Victor Thulare and his adviser and ANC stalwart Mathews Phosa have called upon the acting paramount chief of the Bapedi Kgagudi Kenneth Sekhukhune to hold peaceful talks to put an end to the protracted legal dispute over the kingship.

Thulare made the statement during an interview at Phosa’s offices in Bryanston, northern Joburg.

He said Bapedi people were suffering because of the lengthy court processes to decide on what Sekhukhune already knows as it only benefits outsiders”.

Thulare, who was declared the rightful heir by the Nhlapo Commission, which was appointed by President Jacob Zuma, said he was ready to co-operate with his uncle Sekhukhune.

We are ready to welcome him. I don’t have any issues with him because he is my uncle and I want to work with him to help our people. We are saying, let’s come together and work together,” said Thulare.

The king said he was concerned that there were people who were benefiting from the dispute but Sekhukhune was not aware of that.

There are people who are benefiting from our fights and our culture is getting lost in that process,” he said.

Thulare said KK, as Sekhukhune is commonly known, should understand that he was not fighting with him as he still considers him an important part of the royal family.

If I was fighting him I would have stopped the government from giving him a car but because I have no issues with him, I didn’t because I want us to work together and help our people.”

Phosa called on Sekhukhune to accept his position in the royal family and allow Thulare to lead.

He knows he is from the third house and was only brought in as an acting chief but because he has been given some sweets, he does not want to lose them. He does not want to vacate the chair and give it to its rightful owner,” said Phosa.

Sekhukhune’s spokesman Makotanyane Moroamoche said: If Phosa and Victor want to talk to us they know the protocol. That’s if indeed they are serious about what they told you.”

Moroamoche also took a swipe at Phosa’s involvement in the matter.

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We don’t recognise him because he is not a member of the royal family. He may be friends with Victor , but he has no place in the royal family.”

During the interview, Phosa said that he was the target of some people who have interests in the kingship of the Bapedi but I won’t be deterred because my duty is to protect the king and the kingdom”.

He was responding to allegations made that he was the one running the Bapedi Kingdom because he allegedly has powers of attorney delegated to him by Thulare’s late father King Rhyne Thulare. Phosa dismissed the allegations. My job was and is still that of an advisor and there’s no such a thing as power of attorney,” he said.

The allegations came after Bapedi secured mineral rights from the Department of Mineral Resources to mine the Sekhukhune area.

The mineral rights were later transferred from Bauba a Hlabirwa Mining to Bauba Platinum after the death of King Rhyne Thulare.

Bapedi own 40% shares in the company, and Phosa said he had a minor stake, but revealed that it was through a vehicle company.

On the company’s website, Phosa is listed as a non-executive director, while Thulare is listed as Phosa’s alternate executive director.

Phosa said he was only listed as a director to represent Thulare because at the time of registration he was still teaching the king about the business of mining.

Now the king is knowledgeable about business and he is now representing himself at the board meetings,” said the former premier of Mpumalanga.