Traditional leadership in South Africa is facing a dangerous new enemy, writes Celani Sikhakhane in his Royal Mzansi column.

This time, the threat does not come from foreign settlers landing on our shores. It comes from our own politicians.

Under democratic rule, a new form of colonialism is rising. Black politicians are systematically undermining a structure that has held our people together for over 600 years.

We see the evidence everywhere.

The deep, historical powers of our traditional leaders are being stripped away, leaving them with nothing but ceremonial titles. The Constitution, for all its praise, still fails to fully recognise the true role of Amakhosi.

Instead of being respected as custodians of the land and the people, traditional leaders are being reduced to cheerleaders.

When election season arrives, or when parties hold their internal battles, politicians rush to the royal palaces. They come bearing gifts. Sometimes it is cows. Sometimes, as we saw with the EFF leadership and King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, it is a shiny Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

These are not gifts of respect. They are the tools of a new colonialism.

The aim is clear: to seduce traditional leaders into handing over their land so politicians can make money for themselves, not for the community.

This week, the Ingonyama Trust Board sounded the alarm.

Acting CEO Siyamdumisa Vilakazi warned that the political landscape in KwaZulu-Natal is drowning Amakhosi. He says the risk is real – if this continues, the institution of traditional leadership will vanish.

“Amakhosi as it stands are a model that the people agreed to over 600 years ago, but it is frozen in time,” Vilakazi said.

He argues that chiefs are stuck because they do not understand their own power.

They are caught at a crossroads between Roman-Dutch Law and Zulu Customary Law. Politicians do not want to discuss this conflict because it suits them to keep Amakhosi confused.

But Customary Law is part of our Constitution. It is equal to Roman-Dutch Law.

The tragedy is that Amakhosi are being blocked from knowing where their power starts and where it ends.

It is time for traditional leaders to wake up. They must understand their systems and reclaim what is theirs before the “gifts” from politicians leave them with nothing at all.

Pictured above: Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu gifting King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo a Mercedes-Benz, a move seen by many as the new form of political colonialism.

Image source: @EFFSouthAfrica