Bondelswarts inaugurate new chief amid succession dispute

Following more than a decade without a chief, the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority inaugurated Denzyl Christiaan (25) as its new leader on Saturday.

Last week, however, the Christiaan Royal House within the Bondelswarts clan announced Nathanael Christiaan as chief-designate.

Since the death of former chief Anna Katrina Christiaan in 2011, the traditional community has been in a succession dispute on the eligibility of two candidates – Nathanael and Denzyl.

Bondelswarts Traditional Authority senior councillor Hans Jossop says customary law and traditions dictate that a successor to the chieftainship should stem from a patrilineal lineage and not the matrilineal lineage.

Nathanael is the son of the late chief Anna Katrina Christiaan, being of female descent, while Denzyl is the son of the late Josef Christiaan, who was acting chief when chief Anna Katrina Christiaan died.

“The Bondelswarts bloodline is patrilineal, deeply rooted in the history and traditions of their ancestors and, therefore, no court, unlawful authority or division can rob them of their values and dictate to them to follow another route. We will hold fast to our values and will not allow our rich heritage to be declared bankrupt by division,” says Jossop.

The second obstacle faced by the community was due to Denzyl’s age. He was 13 at the time of the death of chief Anna Katrina. Customary law requires a person ascending to chieftainship to be at least 25 years of age.

Chief Dawid Hanse of the !Khara-Khoen Traditional Authority and deputy chairperson of the Nama Traditional Leaders Association, which conducted the coronation, says the clan waited long for the succession process to be completed and the wishes of the clan to be fulfilled.

“Today, chief Denzyl Christiaan is succeeding his late father Josef Christiaan. He was already marked by the clan in 2016 in Warmbad by almost 300 clan members, but had to wait because of the customary law age of 25.”

Hanse says the clan met again on 14 July at Karasburg, as Denzyl had matured to the required age.

Thereafter, the community informed the office of the //Kharas governor and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development of its intention to inaugurate Denzyl. The community further lodged their application for gazetting of Denzyl as chief and sought representation from the ministry to oversee the coronation.

However, there was no ministerial representation at the coronation.

“Due processes have not been finalised regarding the gazetting of a chief, as per existing regulations,” says //Kharas governor Aletha Frederick.

This comes as the Christiaan Royal House last week announced its designation of Nathanael as the new captain of the Bondelswarts.

Traditional councillor Amalia Alberts says the application for Nathanael’s designation has already been forwarded to the relevant authorities for processing.

“The Chief Council is now awaiting the legal processes of the government in accordance with the Traditional Authorities Act to be finalised and the recognition of the gaob designate, Nathanael Christiaan, by the government to coronate him legally,” says Alberts.

The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development says it will issue a statement on the matter today.