Government should give the same treatment and benefits it splashes on Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini to all traditional leaders.
This was the lament of traditional leaders to parliamentary speaker Baleka Mbete who visited the Eastern Cape at the weekend.
Xhosa King Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu and the National House of Traditional Leaders complained to Mbete about the inequality between monarchs in the country.
They said the Zulu king had "all the government support" while the rest were given only a car and no budget. Mbete visited the Xhosa king at Nqadu Great Place near Willowvale on Friday.
Xhosa Royal House CEO Zolani Mkiva, the king's uncle Chief Xhanti Sigcawu, Contralesa secretary-general Chief Xolile Ndevu, and National House of Traditional Leaders' executive member Themba Mavundla all complained about the unequal treatment of kings and queens by government.
"The Zulu king is provided with a budget, all his queens are looked after by the government, they have their own individual palaces looked after by the government, each has her own chauffeur and protector," said Mkiva.
"But look at other kings elsewhere in the country. The treatment is totally different, they have only a salary and one vehicle. The queens are not looked after and neither are the palaces. Is this how the government treats kings?"
Mkiva said while they appreciated the treatment given to Zwelithini, "we are just saying that should apply to all kings".
Xhanti said the government should provide kings with security personnel and a chauffeur.
"His status dictates that his life and security around him should be priorities. The government does not have to wait until there is threat to his life.
"Ministers, deputy ministers, mayors and even some municipal managers are provided with the services of protectors."
Ndevu said though President Jacob Zuma signed a memo in 2013 that chiefs be provided with subsidised cars and that each traditional council have a vehicle, "that never happened".
"Each year the excuse is that there is no budget. We cannot only be remembered during elections and used as voting cows and after that we are dumped," said Ndevu.
Mavundla said traditional leaders were paid "peanuts".
"[Chiefs] earn as little as R14000 per month while MPs and MPLs earn almost 10 times that and even a councillor earns higher. We cannot even feed and clothe our children," said Mavundla.
Mbete, who received an ox from Sigcawu as a token of welcoming, promised to follow up on the concerns raised in the meeting.
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