Lusikisiki – Members of the AmaMpondo royal family in support of the ascension of Prince Yolisa Sigcau as their next king have threatened to go to court to stop the Faku royal family members from using their logo to mobilise for support.
The threat comes as on Thursday, the AmaFaku royal family, which is a key clan of the kingdom, convened a mass meeting at Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape to discuss the issue of the throne, which was left vacant in May when King Zanozuko passed away.
What sparked the threat was that the meeting was announced using official letterheads of the kingdom.
Those letterheads are currently used by the acting regent, Queen Nobandla, who is holding the fort as there is an ongoing legal battle over the throne.
Dr Ntsizakalo Ngalo said they were aware of the mass meeting and claimed that their logo was being used fraudulently, hence their intended legal action.
“This (poster) is fake. We have not called any imbizo, but there is a problem of people who go around calling themselves AmaMpondo kingdom. One is even calling himself an acting king.
“This is very wrong. It is about being clever and crooked because these people are collecting money from the public.
“This is fraud. These people are fraudsters and we are not going to let it go just like this.
“We don’t know why they are using our logo. We don’t know why they are doing this. Yes, we are taking legal action,” Ngalo said.
Nkosi (Chief) Ayanda Faku Mfundisweni, in eastern Pondoland, said he had no hand in the imbizo.
“We are not part of it as amaFaku. Those are members fighting both Qaukeni and Ndimakude,” Nkosi told IOL on Thursday morning.
Firing back at Ngalo, Prince Mbasa Sigcau, who is one of the people at the forefront of the Lusikisiki imbizo, told Ngalo to back off.
“Ngalo, who is of the Jola clan, cannot lay claim to a symbol of the royal family of AmaFaku (a clan to which he does not belong). He is best-suited handling matters of amaJola.”
Despite the objection, the imbizo went ahead at Lusikisiki and was attended by about 260 people.
An attendance register shared with IOL late on Thursday after the meeting shows that traditional leaders and amaMpondo from KwaBhala, Mbudu A/A, Cabekwana, Hombe, Mzizangwa, Njombela and Duntsula, to name just a few, attended it.
Talking points taken and shared by Prince Mbasa show that it was agreed that Prince Dumelani Sigcau is the acting king and there is a need to correct the history of the AmaMpondo kingdom.
“AmaMpondo, through iMbumba YamaMpondo and traditional leaders, agreed that the case is a distortion of custom and ignores several historical facts.
“Equally, given the chaos unfolding in Qawukeni and Ndimakude Great Place, amaMpondo agreed that there is a need to unite in correcting history, as it was them using their cattle who were led by this royal family who customarily installed King Zanozuko in Mzindlovu.
“The royal family then reassured the house that the kingship of amaMpondo is in Mzindlovu, not Ndimakude or Qawukeni,” reads the notes taken by Prince Mbasa.
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