Land question, mining rights and selfless leadership

Conflicts about land throughout Africa have cast a critical eye on the institution of traditional authority. Despite this, discussions on land reform have seen politicians playing a dominant role while traditional leaders operate on the periphery.

Under normal circumstances there are compelling reasons why traditional leaders should participate more actively in politics and they can learn from the selfless example set by Chief Jongumsobomvu Maqoma.

Maqoma, born in 1798, embodied true African chiefdom in that he believed in the placing of love for his people and gave up his privileges to lead the African people through the Frontier Wars all in the quest for land and freedom.

What is important to learn from the chief is that traditional leadership is bestowed with the responsibility to stand with the aspirations and the imaginations of one’s people. Maqoma was certainly one of Africa’s resistance leaders during the colonial period and this, by and large, is a much-needed characteristic from our chiefs today.

Land struggles have sprung up at a local level, with young people desperately taking up the fight to defend their heritage, while mining companies have teamed up with public officials, resulting in them expanding their operations to rural communities.

In recent times and, particularly in mining communities where land struggles have sprung up, chiefs have been at the heart of the rural land struggles and mining-induced conflict.

One of the sources of the mistrust between communities and traditional leadership is the proximity of the latter to the state.

That relationship has created a gap between traditional leadership and their subjects. In turn, it has led to many people to ask about the relevance of traditional leadership.

I believe contemporary traditional leaders can redeem themselves by learning from the legacy of Maqoma.

Traditional leaders should ensure that communities at a local level have full control over the land and that all agreements are sanctioned by the members of the communities. This means that traditional leaders should represent the aspirations of communities.

Traditional leadership cannot take a hesitant stance in the politics of the country because this means that they are complicit in the unequal processes of distributing the country’s resources. This comes at a time when the country faces problems of food insecurity and threats to land-based livelihoods.

The role of traditional leaders in this regard is important because most profitable South African mines are operating in former homelands occupied by communities that are governed in terms of customary law.

The wars of resistance under the likes of Chief Maqoma, if anything, teach us that leadership is a question of selflessness and dedication. Traditional leaders have to ensure that their interests must form part of the interests of the working class in those mines.

Maqoma rejected colonial rule in all its forms. He stood for the sovereignty and independence of the African nations.

He also rejected the ceding of land rights to the Cape Colony. Maqoma believed that his people had to have control of their land and fought to resist white domination.

He led his people and is hailed as an impressive military strategist against colonisation.

It is also important to understand what shapes and maintains these struggles. The source of conflict begins at the point of consultation and involvement of the community because mining has severe consequences for the lives of people and their sustainable livelihoods.

The rights of access to information to communities regarding modes of extraction, possible hazards and possible destruction caused is an important indication of how relations between the mining companies and the people will be shaped.

Consultation with the community speaks volumes to people as mining developments will take place in their spaces.

It becomes important then that traditional leaders today position themselves within the interests of rural communities. The sense of selflessness displayed by Maqoma is what is needed in these communities.

Chief Maqoma’s relevance in land struggles is in the kind of leader that he was and is critical, particularly in the times that SA finds itself today.

He was a true leader who ought to be emulated by the current leadership of AmaXhosa defending their areas against mining conglomerates.

SA desperately needs selfless leaders who can nvoke the spirit of Maqoma. His sacrifices of demonstrate his prominence and his dedication to protect the identity of his people and their independence.