Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

Amakhosi in KwaZulu-Natal have been asked not to isolate their wives when they embark on their new challenge of developing their communities.

This was said yesterday at a meeting between amakhosi and the province's MEC for local government and traditional affairs, Mike Mabuyakhulu, at the Pinetown Civic Centre near Durban.

It was the first meeting between amakhosi in the eThekwini municipality and Mabuyakhulu since the amakhosi were sworn into the transformed House of Traditional Leaders last month.

Mabuyakhulu said it was important for the wives of amakhosi to be kept informed.

He said: "Queens should know the ins and outs of the work that is being done by you, their husbands. We all know that queens are the ones that sit in positions of ubukhosi [kingship] if the husband dies."

Yesterday, amakhosi in eThekwini gave the thumbs-up to the government's restructuring of the House of Traditional Leaders and thanked the government for giving them a role in developing their communities.

They also welcomed the new dispensation for providing them with training in financial management, resolving conflicts within communities and running their offices at district level.

The leaders will also play a big role in the fight against HIV-Aids in rural areas.