Greytown
3 January 2009
We are assembled here today on the invitation by Inkosi Mbongeleni Zondi, a
descendant of Inkosi Bhambatha Zondi, the hero of the 1906 Poll Tax Uprisings.
In 1906 the Colonial Government of Natal imposed a poll tax on all African
males in the province. The tax was some kind of remedy to the colonial
governmentâs own self impoverishment which had resulted from the Anglo-Boer War
of 1899/02.
What is important and surprising is that these taxes were imposed without
any form of recognition of the rights of African people to choose a legitimate
government which can then tax them. So, it was taxation without
enfranchisement. The heroes of 1906 like Inkosi Bhambatha Zondi, Inkosi
Sigananda Shezi, Inkosi Meseni Qwabe and others were able to raise their heads
against this injustice.
Author AT Thompson describes the institution of traditional leadership in
the colony of Natal in 1906 as âthe governor of the colony was the supreme
chief, vice the Queen and Empress, to whom African chiefs gave their allegiance
and upon whom they depended for their position. The Native Affairs Department
was responsible for the good government (or not) of 314 different tribes in the
colony .Chiefs and their headmen were civil servants of a sort, and the
traditional authority of chieftaincy was being pared down to fit into a
European style bureaucracy.â
Inkosi Bhambatha kaMancinza Zondi and many other determined leaders of the
time could not accept this status quo. They asked many questions in search of
answers.
The 1906 uprisings was one of the most important episodes in the history of
the struggle for liberation in South Africa. It was also the last armed
resistance to be mounted by rural peasants, as the struggle for liberation was
to take a new turn with the formation of the African National Congress (ANC) in
1912.
Inkosi Bhambatha kaMancinza Zondi emerged as the hero and personification of
the uprisings. His prominence was quite remarkable because the resistance to
the poll tax had been very complex. As a tactician he maintained close ties
with King Dinuzulu.
He had a history of struggle and had been involved with disputing land
dispossessions in the Natal Midlands area. Ever since he was formally installed
as Inkosi of the AmaZondi people on the 6 June 1890, Inkosi Bhambatha Zondi saw
that his people were being systematically dispossessed of their land by the
encroaching colonial system. To him this was unacceptable.
The uprisings actually started in Richmond on 8 February 1906, fifteen days
before Inkosi Bhambatha Zondi was deposed on 23 February 1906 by the Governor
of Natal. I read the contents of the decision deposing him âin the matter of
the Chieftainship of the AmaZondi Tribe located in the Magisterial Divisions of
Umvoti, New Hanover, Umgeni, Lionâs River and Krantzkop.
Whereas Bhambatha was appointed by the Supreme Chief to the chieftainship of
the AmaZondi Tribe on the 6 June 1890.
And whereas under the provision of Section 34 of the Schedule to the Law
No.19, 1891, the Supreme Chief in Council may remove any chief found guilty of
any political offence, or for incompetence or other just cause from his
position as chief.
And whereas it has been represented to me that the said Bhambatha is
incompetent and unfit to fill the position of chief.
Now, therefore, I, the Supreme Chief in Council, by virtue of the powers
vested in me in this behalf, here by remove the said Bhambatha from his
position as Chief over the AmaZondi tribe, aforesaid.â
Given at the Government House, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, this Twenty Third
day of February 1906 by order of the supreme chief Signed by Secretary for
Native Affairs.
Such was the extent of colonial abuse of the institution of traditional
leadership. The worse was to come in the apartheid era.
In 1994, a new democratic era dawned on South Africa. Today we live in the
age of hope and respect for human dignity. We live in the age of hope through
peace. Most of what Inkosi Bhambatha lived for, fought for and died for has
been achieved.
On 11 June 2006 we assembled here to pronounce that through a transparent
and efficient democratic process we rescind the decision of the governor of the
colony of Natal, passed on 23 February, 1906, to depose Inkosi Bhambatha Zondi.
We, posthumously re-instated Inkosi Bhambatha kaMancinza Zondi as Inkosi of the
AmaZondi, from the 6 June 1890, uninterrupted till his death.
The 2006 Commemoration of the Centenary of the Poll Tax Uprisings was part
of the Government of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal initiative to recognize the
past and use the heritage that it provides in order to normalize our society
and create social cohesion.
Since 2006 we have done the following other heritage projects:
* the commemoration of the inception of Mahatma Ghandiâs Satyagraha
(2006).
* bringing home the remains of Moses Mabhida (2006)
* the commemoration of the death of Chief Albert Luthuli (40 years-2007).
* the construction and unveiling of the grave of Princess Mkabayi (2007).
* commemoration of Maqhamusela Khanyile
* launch of the Family Tree Project
* launch of a project to recognise the legacy of the Christian
missionaries
* the commemoration of Queen Nandi (2008).
* commemoration of the Amakhosi of Embo- Mkhize (2008).
* recognition of the 2008 Day of Reconciliation under the theme, âone province,
one people, different cultures, managing the past to achieve universal
reconciliation and social cohesion in KwaZulu-Natal, today, tomorrow,
forever.â
* we have identified choral music as the most viable art form to record our
history and legacies.
* through the newly legislated KwaZulu-Natal Heritage Act we will be forming
district heritage forums to allow greater stakeholder participation in heritage
matters local ownership will result in sustainable heritage management and
development.
As part of these commemorations and the research and documentation that goes
with it we have adopted the theme that says through heritage we are, âtelling
the story of the Zulu people and the story of the People of KwaZulu-Natal.â
We share a common belief that the recognition of our past by our collective
selves gives us an opportunity to manage it in a manner that promotes unity and
a common sense of identity. We are equally well aware that a past so well
managed is a springboard for the creation of a shared future where the South
African dream of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic society can be realised.
It is a dream we all stand to achieve.
So much more is yet to be done in order to bring all of us to a level where
we embrace our past with all its challenges and recognise its role in the
formulation of our individual, clan, local, provincial and national identities.
Such a multi-faceted identity, once cemented, will play a crucial role in
shaping how we interact with the nations of the world, especially during the
FIFA World Cup in 2010, where nothing but country is all that matters.
The multi-media centres which we are establishing in the eMakhosini Valley
and the Moses Mabhida Stadium will play a key role in promoting our heritage
during 2010 and beyond.
Therefore our being here today upon invitation by Inkosi Mbongeleni Zondi is
part of the broader renewal of the heritage of KwaZulu-Natal.
It is with pride and humility that we accepted this invitation by Inkosi
Bhambatha Zondiâs descendent, Inkosi Mbongeleni Zondi who wants to take the
symbolism of the 2006 re-instatement of Inkosi Bhambatha forward, and make it
part of the permanent living memory of the amaZondi people.
Thank you
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
3 January 2009
