Simbongile Mdledle
The Eastern Cape Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (“Contralesa”) described the march which took place in KuGompo (formerly known as East London) on Monday 30th of March 2026, as peaceful. Contralesa also saluted march organizers and the residents of KuGomb, as their action has demonstrated that South Africans should all continue to fight as one nation against foreign nationals who undermine sovereignty by disrespecting the laws of this country. Despite an outcry that the march was destructive especially to the properties or belongings of foreign nationals, the congress still maintains that it was a people’s march full of peace.
The strong Contralesa’s call followed the installation of a Nigerian “King” in KuGompo area which raised ire across the country and resulted to a huge march that was supported by South Africans from all over the Country across cultural and political lines particularly from KwaZulu -Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape Provinces.
Meanwhile, after this march, on 02 April 2026, Houses of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders convened a special meeting of Provincial Executive Committee Meeting (PEC) to receive the report from the organizers of the march who also presented the report.
“We are satisfied that the organizers of the march did everything humanly possible in adhering to the plan for organization of the march which was presented and endorsed by the PEC on the eve of the march and have expressed our happiness that residents of Ku Gompo mainly the youth still owe their allegiance to the institution of traditional and Khoisan leadership notwithstanding the provisions of the only shortest chapter in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa that does not set out clearly the powers and functions of the institution of traditional leadership in South Africa but merely make provision for merely “roles and functions,” said the Provincial Chairman Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana
Nonkonyana stressed that the leaders of the peaceful march deserve royal accolades as they reminded traditional leaders that the institution of traditional and Khoisan leadership is the peoples’ institution entrenched in the hearts and minds of indigenous people of the beloved country who, like their forebears who fought against Colonialists and violent Apartheid regimes paid supreme sacrifices in defending their institution, demonstrated their love, affection and respect for the institution.
He also stressed his gratitude to peace-loving South Africans who supported the march from all over the country across cultural and political lines particularly from KwaZulu -Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape Provinces. “It is crystal clear that some of the foreign nationals have caused untold misery and mayhem to peace loving South Africans all over our beloved country thereby denying them the fruits of freedom that has +
been achieved after centuries of the struggle initiated by our forebears as far back as the 16th Century,” stated Nonkonyana.
He called on government to respond to the legitimate demands contained in the petition handed over to the Mayor of Buffalo City Metropolitan Council on 30 April 2026 (which include selling drugs to the people as evidenced by arrest and confiscation of drugs and cash from a house ku Gompo few days ago) within seven (07) days as demanded by the peace-loving South Africans.
