Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, has aired concerns after being made aware of a planned coronation of Mr Maurice Vivian Kok as the King of the Griqua Nation.
The coronation is set to take place from 24 to 26 September 2026 at the Kokstad Cricket Oval, according to the official invitation. The COGTA Ministry has however placed it on record that it distances itself from the alleged coronation and any claims of recognition arising from it, saying that in the case of Mr Kok, recognition as a traditional leader is still pending.
“The alleged coronation is inconsistent with the provisions of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019 (Act No. 3 of 2019) (TKLA), which provides the legislative framework for the recognition and regulation of traditional and Khoi-San communities, leaders and leadership structures in South Africa. In terms of Section 5(1) of the TKLA, a community seeking recognition as a Khoi-San community is required to follow the prescribed statutory process and satisfy the requirements set out in the Act. Applications are considered by the Commission on Khoi-San Matters (CKSM) in accordance with the processes prescribed by the legislation,” said COGTA Minister spokesperson, Ms Pearl Maseko-Binqose.
COGTA also claims that according to the records of the Department of Traditional Affairs, no Khoi-San community, Senior Khoi-San Leader or Branch Head has, to date, been formally recommended for recognition through the prescribed statutory process.
“In the specific case of Mr Maurice Vivian Kok, the Ministry confirms that the Commission on Khoi-San Matters is still considering his application for recognition as a leader. The process has therefore not been concluded and no recognition has been granted by the Minister or the Department. It is important to emphasise that the recognition of a Khoi-San leadership structure or leader can only take place following the completion of the prescribed assessment and recognition processes in terms of the TKLA. No individual or group may confer or assume a legally recognised leadership status outside this statutory framework,” said Maseko-Binqose.
In the statement, the Ministry further drew attention to Section 7(9) of the TKLA, which provides that a person who, without lawful recognition, purports to be a traditional or Khoi-San leader commits an offence and may, upon conviction, be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years.
“Accordingly, any person who claims the status of King or any other recognised traditional or Khoi-San leadership position without having been lawfully recognised in terms of the Act may be subject to the provisions of Section 7(9). Minister Hlabisa reiterates that CoGTA remains committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the recognition of traditional and Khoi-San leadership is conducted transparently, fairly and strictly in accordance with the applicable legislative framework. The Ministry therefore cautions against any statements, ceremonies or activities that may create the impression that Mr Maurice Vivian Kok, or any other individual, has been formally recognised as a Khoi-San leader where the statutory process has not yet been concluded,” said Maseko-Binqose.
In response to the statement released by COGTA, the King Adam Kok III Heritage Foundation/Kok Royal House – Griqua Nation released a statement on behalf of Mr Vivan Kok, stating that the upcoming cultural and customary coronation of Maurice Vivian Kok is not an attempt to bypass the statutory recognition process, or that the cultural ceremony is somehow illegitimate merely because statutory recognition remains pending.
“We are concerned that the statement may have been issued before the full nature and purpose of the September programme—and the important distinction between a cultural coronation and statutory recognition—had been placed before the Honourable Minister. Had the complete circumstances been available to the Minister, it would have been apparent that Maurice Vivian Kok has neither sought to circumvent the law nor requested the State to confer statutory authority through the coronation. On the contrary, the prescribed statutory recognition process has been engaged and is being allowed to proceed,” said spokesperson, High Commissioner Rosemary Rodriguez Vazquez.
According to the statement, the upcoming coronation does not withdraw or replace the legal process or pre-empt the outcome and is also not an inauguration into a ‘statutory public office’ with ‘governmental powers’.
“The forthcoming coronation belongs to a different sphere. It is an exercise of Griqua cultural identity, heritage and customary practice. It represents the cultural affirmation by the Kok Royal House, family, descendants and participating members of the Griqua community of their understanding of the historical Kok bloodline, lineage, customary succession, community leadership and continuity of the Kok Royal House. These are matters of culture, ancestry, heritage and customary identity. A bloodline does not originate when the State recognises it,” said Vazquez.
She also drew attention to a number of section of the constitution which she states protects cultural life including sections 30,31 and 211.
“The principle nevertheless remains important: statutory recognition does not necessarily exhaust the existence of customary leadership, cultural organisation or cultural identity.
The Kok Royal House equally accepts the corresponding limitation. Customary or cultural leadership cannot simply assume statutory governmental powers which the law reserves for formally recognised institutions or office bearers. No such governmental powers are claimed by virtue of this coronation,” says Vazquez.
She further drew a distinction between a cultural coronation and a state inauguration.
“The September ceremony is not intended to inaugurate Maurice Vivian Kok into a statutory governmental office. It is a cultural and customary coronation undertaken within the traditions and cultural understanding of the participating community. It does not purport to grant Maurice Vivian Kok authority to exercise governmental functions belonging to national, provincial or local government. It does not replace the Commission’s work,” she said.
The statement claimed that although statutory recognition has not yet been granted, it does not follow that the said community is therefore prohibited from conducting a cultural coronation. It was also highlighted that the coronation is a mere component of a broader, multi-day Griqua cultural and heritage programme.
“The Kok Royal House and King Adam Kok III Heritage Foundation do not seek confrontation with Honourable Minister Hlabisa, CoGTA, the Commission on Khoi-San Matters or any organ of State. We respectfully believe that the present misunderstanding can be resolved through clarification and constructive engagement,” said Vaquez.
- The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), has distanced himself and his ministry from the upcoming coronation of Mr Maurice Vivian Kok (pictured) as the King of the Griqua Nation.
