The Deputy Chairperson of the South African Royal Princesses Network (SARPN), Princess Nomfundo Zibi, appealed to parliament to act with the courage that Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has shown and hold the executive accountable. Zibi stressed that the government needs to prioritize the protection of the communities, not political theatre. Princess Zibi’s utterances followed the recent revelation of corrupt activities and scandals in the South African Police Service (SAPS), which resulted in the suspension of minister of police Senzo Mchunu with full pay. Zibi was speaking on behalf of over 120 princesses serving communities across South Africa.
“We, the South African Royal Princesses Network, refuse to give up on our communities, but we also refuse to pretend that what happens in Pretoria does not matter to the grandmother whose case against drug dealers targeting her grandchildren just got lost at the local police station. Our communities deserve better. Our young people deserve better. And those of us who still believe in service above self must continue fighting for it, even when (especially when) those at the top have given up,” said the princess.
She urged traditional leaders to use their influence to demand justice for our people, all South Africans to recognize that this is not just a political crisis; it is a crisis of the soul of the nation.
“As princesses serving across South Africa’s nine provinces, we see the human cost of this governance crisis every single day. We see families destroyed by drugs that flow freely because the system is compromised. We see young people losing faith in the future because justice is a luxury they cannot afford. We see communities that once thrived now struggling to survive because corruption has eaten away at the very foundations of law and order. We will not be silenced. We will not be bought. We will not abandon our communities. The system must be cleaned. And those of us who still believe in service must continue to fight for the South Africa our people deserve, one where justice is not for sale, where hope is not a luxury, and where the law protects the innocent instead of the corrupt. Our communities have suffered enough,” she concluded.
