XHOSA monarch Zwelonke Sigcawu and his subjects are set to benefit from rich deposits of several minerals in his kingdom including titanium, black granite, gas and oil.

King Sigcawu's spokesman Zolani Mkiva said it had come to the attention of the kingdom that there are deposits of several minerals in the area of his jurisdiction.

"There's titanium along the coast and black granite 10km inland," Mkiva said.

He said there was also oil and gas on Sigcawu's land.

Sowetan has seen a letter giving Port Elizabeth-based lawyer Richard Stephenson power of attorney to represent Sigcawu and the Xhosa Royal Council to apply for permission to share in the exploration of his kingdom's mineral and petroleum resources and the oceanic sea bed.

Mkiva said the kingdom was on a fact-finding mission relating to gas and oil, and was talking to all stakeholders involved in the matter.

Several companies including petrochemical giants Exxon Mobil, Shell and London-based New Age African Global Energy, have applied for rights to explore the mineral and petroleum deposits off the Wild Coast, part of which falls under Sigcawu's authority.

"We'd like to make use of this to the benefit of the people," Mkiva said.

Mkiva said all discussions on the kingdom's wealth would happen under the auspices of the Xhosa Royal Council.

"People who come in as investors must talk to us and then we'll come up with an agreement that suits us, first and foremost," Mkiva said.

Meanwhile, King Ndamase Ndamase of the Mpondo has applied for a licence to mine the travertine deposits around Port St Johns, further north but also on the Wild Coast.

Both kings said they applied for a share of their kingdoms' natural wealth on behalf of their subjects, including women.

Ndamase has applied for reconnaissance, mining and production rights for any mineral deposits in his kingdom - which includes Port St Johns, Ngqeleni and Libode, where his royal palace, Nyandeni Great Place, is located.

The rights are for deposits of travertine, which is mostly used in sculpting and to manufacture ceramic tiles, ashtrays, ornaments and beads, depending on its quality.

According to the Council for Geoscience, the quality of the deposits ranges from reasonable to excellent. The council has suggested that mining the travertine should be low technology and labour-intensive to accommodate former mineworkers living in the area.

In July last year, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini announced that he would convene a rural mining summit later this year to discuss beneficiation.

Stephenson did not respond to requests for comment.

sidimbas@sowetan.co.za

For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays