Verbal war after tribal court is gutted
ACCUSATIONS are flying after the Somopho Tribal Court in Macekane
Reserve outside Empangeni was completely destroyed by fire last Friday.
Youth leaders have distanced themselves from being responsible, and believe that the traditional council itself might be responsible, as they accuse them of maladministration and corruption.
Somopho Tribal Court was allegedly petrol bombed by two unknown men, who were seen entering and leaving the court premises.
Youth leaders, Nathi Mlungwana and Khanyisani Mthembu, say they are not responsible, their hearts are bleeding and they want the perpetrators to be arrested and charged accordingly.
'We were protesting not for the first time, but there has never been such an incident before.
‘The court was destroyed after we asked to meet with the Tribal Council.
'On Tuesday, before our protest, we went to the Tribal Court where we submitted a letter asking to have an urgent meeting with them.
‘The main aim of the meeting was to ask the council to account for the money they receive from Tronox.
' We were also intending to ask them to account for the money which is paid by network service providers to the trust fund account.
‘We also wanted them to tell us about the money they generate when they allocate sites to new people in the area,’ Khanyisani said.
‘Now the court was destroyed before we could get answers from them. What a coincidence.
'We want to state clearly that we were not involved in setting the court alight.
'The incident occurred while we were still locked in a meeting at Tronox.’
He said even though he can not directly point fingers at members of the tribal council for destroying the court, they believe that a certain person wanted to get rid of evidence of corruption and misuse of public funds by the tribal authority.
‘Someone knew that were close to getting the truth and he destroyed the court.
'These people have failed to assist young people, yet they are pocketing money amongst themselves,’ he said.
Nothing hidden
Acting Inkosi Shilo Mthembu said the meeting between them and these leaders was scheduled for Wednesday, but they failed to attend as they conducted a protest march to Tronox.
‘We are not hiding anything, and even though most documents were burnt, we can still get bank statements to provide answers to them.
‘I must also explain that we don’t get any money from Tronox.
'Network service providers pay their dues to Ingonyama Trust, not to us. The Somopho Trust Fund Account has trustees who manage the funds.
'We only receive an annual dividend which is shared among seven clans from Izinkobe Company, which works with Tronox. With that money we have assisted several needy students with their university admission fees.
‘The Traditional Council will soon come up with a new date to reschedule a meeting with them,’ Mthembu said.
Mthembu explained that the entire community is aggrieved about the torching of the tribal court.
‘All previous late Amakhosi’s spirits were badly affected by fire, and I hope that police will make an arrest soon.
'I strongly believe that they know who is responsible, and know how the plot to destroy the tribal court was made.
'They even threatened to burn my house. The parents of some of them who were involved have come to me, So I know eventually the truth will come out.’