Hlabisa to engage Ramaphosa, Cachalia on killing of traditional leaders

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Velenkosini Hlabisa says government will engage President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia over the killing of traditional leaders.

He was speaking after a meeting with the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) in Gauteng.

Hlabisa says concerns have been raised about the scale of violence and the need for an independent inquiry.

“We have about 70 traditional leaders, [who] have been brutally killed. Contralesa is raising this matter and we are going to take this matter up with the Minister of Police, but also with the President. Because according to Contralesa, they are of a view that an independent inquiry is required in order to go to the root cause of these brutal killings, the rationale behind them, why traditional leaders are a target,” adds Hlabisa.