Sequel to Long Walk to Freedom - Revision 1 - Chapter 10 Page 1

Soon after returning from prison I travelled down to E.L. and met Comrade Silumko Sokupha and the Regional Committee, the Regional Executive of the ANC to acquaint myself with the situation in that area. In their briefing they informed me that King Zanesizwe Sandile of the Ngqika’s would visit me at the hotel. I was shocked because that was a breach of protocol to ask the king to visit me at a hotel. I instructed the Committee to phone and inform the king that he should remain at the Palace; I would later come and pay a courtesy visit there. At that moment the king walked in. I apologised and pointed out that many of today’s youth were born and grew up in the urban areas. They no precious little about traditional leaders. It is not so much because of disrespect but ignorance which makes unaware of protocol. Siqungati of the Thembu’s Heroes like the Khoi leader, Autshumayo, Maqoma of the Rarabes Bambali, Cetywayo of the Zulu, Mampuru of the Pedis, Tshivhase of the Vendas and a host of others, were in the forefront of the wars of resistance and we speak of them with respect and admiration. Traditional leaders like..... and Dalindyebo and each paid a large number of cattle as enrolment fees for their people. Even at the height of the severe repression by the apartheid regime there were courageous Kings like Sabata and Cyprian who refused to betray their people. Labotsideni They were both descendants of King Sikwati The mother of Ryan become Queen of the tribe and before on her death, Ryan was her successor. For some unexplainable reason he refused to accept the position