Buthelezi told to ‘pack and go’
Family members want him out of Zulu monarchy’s affairs
THE latest tensions in the Zulu monarchy played out yesterday after some members of the royal family called another impromptu press conference where they lambasted Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, telling him to get out of their affairs.
Royal sources said the press conference at which Buthelezi was slammed was a culmination of the anger bottled up by senior Princess Thembi Ndlovu (née Zulu), Prince Mbonisi and others.
They apparently arrived at the Khangela palace in Nongoma to mourn the passing of Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu, and during that time asked for an audience with Buthelezi, who on Sunday had rebuked them.
Buthuelezi told the princess that she currently has no role in royal affairs, as she is married. He also told Prince Mbonisi that he was born out of wedlock.
However, Buthelezi, who came to the palace with about 12 headmen of his clan yesterday, reportedly heard about that and scuppered their plans by ignoring them and took part in a long royal meeting that included Prince Thulani, the spokesperson of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini.
Frustrated, the princess and the prince and some four others called a press conference a few metres outside the palace.
Speaking first, the princess, who has been in the public eye for weeks now, said it was disturbing that they were being locked out of their own palaces, and the person who was doing this was someone they looked up to as a father figure, who was also insulting them.
She added that they didn’t like what they were doing, but they were forced by the harsh treatment they were getting from Buthelezi. She told Buthelezi that his time as the traditional prime minister to the king ended long ago, and he must pack and go.
“We want to meet with the Prince (Buthelezi) and not chuck us out of our own home, because exactly what he is doing is expelling (us) from our own home and occupying it himself.
“His time (as Zulu traditional prime minister) ended long ago. The reason why he is still in that position is because we respect him. We are told that he is the (traditional) prime minister of King Bhusha (King Cyprian Bhekuzulu, the father of King Goodwill Zwelithini). The king (Goodwill Zwelithini) never had a prime minister, and the next one will appoint his own prime minister,” she said.
The princess repeated her claims that Buthelezi conducted royal meetings with an iron fist, even chastising senior and female members of the royal family.
“The prince just shrugs off our female elders, capitalising on the fact that they respect him. That is the challenge we have. He just tells everyone what to do without consulting anyone from the royal house. The prince does what comes from his head,” she claimed.
On Sunday evening, Buthelezi issued a statement denying these claims.
Despite the many salvos they fired at Buthelezi, they said they wanted a meeting with him to iron out their differences. They also said they were open to reconciliation talks in order to restore unity in the royal house.
“We are very willing (to reconcile), otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Every morning, we come this side (Khangela palace) to see if things are going okay,” the princess said.
With the tensions showing no signs of abating, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala told the media shortly after leading his cabinet to mourn in the palace that they would still support the monarch, but said they were pained by how things were going.
“It pains us to see issues of the royal family being discussed in the manner in which it is happening, where there will be an exchange of words, publicly, among people who have a responsibility to sit together and discuss (them),” Zikalala said.
Earlier, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma visited the palace to mourn in her capacity as the minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and told the media that it was up to members of the royal family to find one another and resolve their differences.
The royal squabbles are taking place amid a pending court challenge by the first wife of the late king, Queen Sibongile Dlamini, who wants to inherit 50% of his assets.
The two daughters of the king and Dlamini, Princess Ntandoyenkosi and Princess Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma, are challenging the late king’s will, claiming it was tampered with.
Meanwhile, the royal house has announced that Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu will be buried at dawn on Thursday. Her memorial service will be held on Friday.