Royal palace remains under VIP protection
THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal hoped that rumours relating to the removal of police protection at the royal palace were not an attempt to “create a schism” between the ANC-led government and the Royal House.
Earlier, Zulu traditional prime minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi expressed concern for the safety of newly named King Misuzulu kaZwelithini after claims the SAPS had started withdrawing its VIP protection.
The new king is the son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini and the recently departed Zulu Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu, sister to King Mswati III.
Following his naming on Friday, the new king has been facing threats and had to be whisked to safety by assault rifle-wielding security personnel.
Buthelezi said SAPS security is not provided on the basis of status, but on threat assessment. “It seems clear that His Majesty the King would be placed in a vulnerable position if security were to be withdrawn at this point.
“Despite the clear and present danger this poses, I am informed that the Brigadier in Charge of the SAPS Protectors stationed at the Palace has confirmed to Advocate Mshololo, who is also at the palace, that they have been instructed to withdraw. Both the Zulu royal family and the Swati royal family are shocked by this sudden development,” he said.
Independent Media obtained images outside the palace which seemed to confirm Buthelezi’s claims. One image is captioned: “The main gate leading to the palace is manned by an old, unarmed man. Closer to the palace one female officer was seen … it was said she was there on private business. Prince Misuzulu, the new king of the Zulu nation and his convoy, were not within the palace.”
But yesterday, the office of the national police commissioner confirmed that security services had not been withdrawn. National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said: “Contrary to recent reports circulating in the mainstream and social media platforms, protection for the royal family has not been withdrawn.
“It is rather unfortunate that information of such protection being withdrawn was made public without the SAPS leadership being approached for verification.”
Echoing Naidoo’s statement, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala dismissed claims that police protection had been withdrawn. He verified the claims with KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi; Community Safety and Liaison MEC Peggy Nkonyeni and Police Minister Bheki Cele.
“Following these engagements, we reject these allegations as baseless and misleading. All royal palaces are under the protection of the SAPS and this will continue. The Royal Protection Services is at the palace as we speak.
“In fact, there has been a reinforcement of security (at) all the palaces with the Tactical Response Unit. There will never be any effort to weaken security at the royal palaces of the king.”
ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli appealed to Buthelezi to verify his information before issuing security-related statements. “The ANC is extremely concerned and deeply troubled by the suspected motive of whoever had advised Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi about the alleged withdrawal of the protection services to His Majesty. We hope and trust that the intended agenda is not to create a schism between the ANC-led government and the Royal House or the king for political expediency.”
Meanwhile, Buthelezi released another statement last night stating he was “surprised by the knee-jerk reaction of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal”.
“My (earlier) statement was made in accordance with my responsibility to His Majesty the King. It would’ve been a grave dereliction of duty had I not raised this matter with the urgency that it warranted,” he said.
“I was with the Queen Mother, Queen Mayvis (maZungu), inside the palace when Colonel Radebe came with several officers to suggest to me that, based on this incident, His Majesty should be taken to eSwatini immediately. I found it strange that the SAPS should want the king to leave his palace just moments after he had been named as king, as though they felt the Swati Police could offer His Majesty better protection.“