Nearly half of South Africa’s traditional monarchies are to be abolished in a government move to bury another legacy of the apartheid era.
Some of the kings were originally appointed by the white minority government with few legitimate claims to their thrones, a report found. They were part of a divide and rule strategy to undermine opposition to the apartheid regime, South African President Jacob Zuma said.
Zuma announced that six out of 13 monarchies would be derecognized to correct “the wrongs of the past” and defuse tensions among rival leaders. He stressed that no one would be accused of being an apartheid collaborator.
South Africa is a constitutional democracy and its traditional monarchs are symbolic figureheads with little political power, although they still preside over hearings to resolve tribal disputes. The National House of Traditional Leaders advises parliament on issues of customary law.
Seven of South Africa’s 13 kingships were approved after a six-year study by the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims. The other six will end when the incumbent ruler dies, with their successors becoming lower-ranking leaders.
“The apartheid regime created its own traditional leadership at the expense of authentic leadership in some communities,” Zuma said. “It was how those in charge divided and disunited people. We urge all communities to accept the findings in the spirit of correcting the wrongs of the past and as part of the country’s nation-building efforts.”
The move will also mean savings for the South African taxpayer because each monarchy is subsidized by the government. But leaders of the six kingships affected by the move have said they will challenge their demotion in court.
One political analyst, who did not wish to be named, said: “Whatever the circumstances of their appointment, some of the leaders have come to think of themselves as royalty and won’t go quietly. In some contexts, there is a risk of violence between rival groups.”
But Steven Friedman, director of the Center for the Study of Democracy, described the threat of violence as “implausible.”
“There will be quibbles over which monarchies were legitimate and which weren’t, but there was a great deal of manipulation under apartheid of traditional institutions. The decisions look pretty expected and sensible,” he said.
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