Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform says it needs to tread very carefully, when dealing with the fallout between the Ingonyama Trust Board, and the AmaZulu King.

This follows recent media reports about the suspension of the board members by the king.

Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mzwanele Nyhontso briefed the committee saying the situation has reached a crisis point.

According to Nyhontso, the dispute between the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) and King Misuzulu kaZwelithini needs to be resolved urgently. Nyhontso says they are currently dealing with allegations and counter-allegations and that no hard facts have been presented by the parties involved.

But he says it’s clear, the ITB and the king cannot work together.

Some even suggested that President Cyril Ramaphosa intervenes.

The fallout relates to the king’s decision to suspend board members. This, the committee says, is not within the king’s power, but falls under the purview of the minister.

However, there have to be specific reasons, for the board to be suspended.

“From the first day I realized this board cannot work with the king. We are at the stage where we are about to dissolve this board because they cannot work with the king. We really don’t want to be in a public spat with the king, but no one is above the law. We must all respect the law,” says Nyhontso.

The committee chairperson will request a meeting with the king and the minister.

“It is true that the issues around the ITB have reached crisis point. It is also true that things are happening quick and fast. It is imperative that some sort of intervention be made before the matters get out of hand. We need to take control before people muddy the water,” says Committee Chairperson Mangaqa Mncwango.

The committee plans to conduct an oversight visit to establish the facts and proceed from there.