LETTER: Zulu king should hand over Ingonyama Trust land

Leaders, if they are to be remembered as true leaders, need vision. Then they need to take brave decisions and use all their power to turn their vision into reality, as Nelson Mandela did.

In parts of KwaZulu-Natal, many people are still trapped in feudal conditions, with vast swathes of land under the control of a feudal lord in the person of King Goodwill Zwelithini.

Now SA, the Zulu king and President Cyril Ramaphosa have an excellent opportunity to show the world we can and will move into the 21st century.

My simple suggestion is that where Ingonyama Trust land is occupied, the title be passed to the occupiers. At a stroke, this will release enormous wealth to the Zulu people, who will hail their king as a visionary. It will send a message to all South Africans about the benefit of transferring land to those who most need it.

There are enormous difficulties in achieving this, but so were there in transferring SA from white to democratic rule. Yet we overcame those difficulties through the visionary leadership of Mandela.

This is not a new idea. It was proposed by a past trustee of the Ingonyama Trust and a pilot study was carried out that showed it was feasible. All we need is the political will, and for King Goodwill and Ramaphosa to stand up and say they will lead SA out of the dark ages and into a future of prosperity for all citizens.

Peter Lord
Hermanus

JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Send your letter by e-mail to busday@bdfm.co.za. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.