Welcoming remarks of the Premier of Mpumalanga, Mr Mandla Ndlovu, at the Funeral of King Makhosonke II: Kwamhlanga, 14 June 2026
Mphathihlelo, Ngithanda ukulotjhisa emndenini wala ebukhosini eNgwenyameni yakwaManala, Mabena, Makhosoke wesibili. Bayede Ngwenyama!!
Ngilotjhise Kings Vulikhaya Sigcawu of the AmaXhosa,King Dalimvula Matanzima of, AbaThembu, base Rhode, King Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase of Amampondo ase Nyandeni, Queen Masalanabo Modjadji of Balubedu, Queen Regent Thulare of Bapedi, uPresident of CONTRALESA Kgoshi Mokoena, Deputy president we CONTRALESA u Philane, noNobhala we-CONTRALESA u Prince Mkhiva, the Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders Kgosi Seathlolo, no deputy wakhe I nkosi Mavuso nabo bonke Ondabezitha nobu khosi bonke obukhona la. Bayede!
Ngilotjhise u Deputy President, ubaba u-Paul Mashatile.
UPresident u baba wethu uCyril Ramaphosa uqolisile. Ngikhulume naye Friday, ngimzwile ukuthi unomgomani (Flu). Bekafisile ukubakhona la.
Sivumelene no President Cr, ukuthi Ingwenyama kufanele ahlonitjhwe, ukuze umsebenzi wakhe ukhambe kuhle. Naye u uPresident CR uwenzile umsebenzi wakhe, nami ungi mbawile ukuthi ngenze wami umsebenzi.
Minister in the Presidency, umama u Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, nabo boke abo minister, nama deputy ministers.
MEC we COGHSTA, ubaba Mashilo nabo boke abo MECs.
UMeya wala ekhaya, ubaba uDikgale, UMeya we-District ubaba uNgwenya, amaMeya akhona kanye nawo woke amakhansela.
Abarholi be-ANC, nabarholi bema political parties onke, abazo kulilisa umndeni wakwa Mabena.
Director-General umama u Baleni and all government officials
Isitjhaba soke samaNdebele, izakhamuzi zeMpumalanga, nawo woke umuntu okhona ozo kulila noku gidinga (celebrate) ipilo ayiphilileko uNgwenyama.
Ingwenyama bekumrholi omkhulu, osebenzele isitjhaba sakhe ngokuzinikela nange hlonipho.
Program Director, on Tuesday, the 9th of June 2026 ama-Ndebele, the people of Mpumalanga, and South Africans at large were painfully reminded of the text of Anton Muziwakhe Lembede, the first President of the ANCYL, when he wrote for Inkundla yaBantu and argued:
"No man outside the lunatic asylum can shamelessly maintain that present leaders are immortal. They must, when the hour strikes, inexorably bow down to fate and pass away, for: "There is no armour against fate, death lays his icy hand on Kings.
This time death has laid his icy hands on our beloved King Makhosonke II. Our systems had to contend with the pain and meaning of Ilanga liqimile! Kwahlwa Emini!
We today had to wear our black clothes to honor and bid farewell to a son of the African soil and one of the greatest to emerge from the former KwaNdebele.
We bid farewell to a leader of not only the Ndebele kaManala people, but all our people especially those who are toiling against underdevelopment and all forms of deprivation.
We bid farewell to a brainy king of our people, who was much loved, respected and admired, A King who worked with everyone including our government like a leader, who had no tittle.
He embodied finest qualities of servant leadership and represented the values to which we all aspire. His life was defined by humility, respect, selflessness, integrity, discipline, and an unwavering loyalty to his people.
He remained committed to the ideals of the people's movement, serving with dedication and dignity, and leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations.
We bid farewell with a heavy heart, for we realise that one of the best among us, not because he was of royal blood, but because of the great work he did for his people, has departed.
One who never sought or wielded authority because he is of royal blood, but was also willing to engage and persuade everyone on the brilliance of his ideas on development like he convinced me on several initiatives he wanted to implement for his people.
King Makhosonke II, deeply valued leadership, that included listening and learning from his people. He would pay any price to keep ama-Ndebele and the people of Mpumalanga united, even when doing so brought great inconvenience to himself and his kingdom.
It was these distinct characteristics of King Makhosonke II that made it easy for the democratic government and the governing party in Mpumalanga the ANC to work well with his kingdom.
He made us embrace with ease the view that traditional leadership is not contradictory to democratic principles as conventionally comprehended, and traditional leaders and the ANC-led government are co-dependent.
La ekhaya Empumalanga sisebenza kuhle naboNdabezitha,
We have made significant investments in strengthening traditional leadership by constructing modern office facilities at traditional authorities across the province.
For Ingwenyama, we completed a perimeter wall at his palace and provided him with a operational grant of R2 million, R400 000 for cultural ceremonies, four vehicles, and essential tools of trade such as cellphones, laptops and printers.
These interventions reaffirm our commitment to empowering traditional leaders to fulfil their governance and cultural responsibilities effectively.
All our traditional leaders have been provided with vehicles worth R700 000, grants for cultural ceremonies worth R350 000, we have recently declared that we would contribute R100 000 for burial of the traditional leaders and their official spouses.
We have decided to allocate bakkies for operalisation of their traditional council offices, over and above the SUV vehicles already in their position.
We have also received a donation of a bakkie to King Makhosonke’s successor.
The first Premier of the Mpumalanga province, cde Mathews Phosa sent his heartfelt condolences and praised King Makhosonke II, for serving in the then Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders and crafting the first law on traditional leaders in Mpumalanga and in South Africa which was then used as a foundation to build on all provincial traditional houses.
With these short words, I warmly welcome you to Mpumalanga, to this extraordinary farewell function of King Makhosonke II.
Honorable deputy President, I say extraordinary, because I know that we are in the company of the spirits of the great warriors of the African race such as King Manala, King Mbhongo II, King Nzuza, King Nyabela, , King Shaka, King Moshoeshoe, King Cetyewayo, King Moroka, King Khama, King Sekhukhune, King Sotshangana, King Sigcawu Ramabulana, and King Zwelithini ka Zulu.
They, too, are here to say “Khamba Kuhle King Makhosonke II!” mntwana ka King William Mbhongo II, they are ready to welcome him home.
Siyathokoza