READER LETTER | Traditional leaders add no value to society

I agree with Mametlwe Sebei and John Appolis (City Press, November 20) that royal houses should be done away with as they don't add any value to society. They are there to oppress people like they did under their erstwhile apartheid masters.

This time the traditional leaders collude with ANC crooks to allow capitalists to mine minerals without the consent of communities. Traditional leaders have never been productive throughout the globe except for exploitation of people. Some became rich without breaking a sweat as people were forced to work for them or for rogue investors who struck deals with the kings and chiefs.

It is true that they don't add any value to the society except stealing from their people. Some unilaterally sell land to foreigners without the community's knowledge.

In fact the chiefs have become aggressive in their greed when they were roped in by the democratic government to continue where they left off prior to 1994. When the ANC was still in the trenches, its leaders said that when it assumes power, traditional leaders would be abolished, as they saw how they worked hand in hand with the apartheid government.

But after taking power, ANC comrades realised that traditional leaders are potential partners for rural votes and power, just like bantustan leaders.

Today the ANC has more supporters in the rural areas than in urban areas, and the party must thank the useless traditional leaders for that.

N'wabvenula Phangani, email