Zulu King’s budget to touch R75m

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s annual budget is set to reach R75m by 2022.

For the 2019/2020 financial year the royal household will receive R66m.

This is according to the estimates of the provincial revenue and expenditure for 2019/20 prepared by the KwaZulu-Natal provincial treasury.

It was presented during finance MEC Belinda Scott’s budget speech in the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg yesterday.

Premier Willies Mchunu’s office, which is responsible for supporting the king and the royal family, was allocated R795m but is yet to deliver its budget vote which will determine how much exactly will be allocated to the royal family.

The king’s budget was moved to the premier’s office following years of excessive spending by the royal family.

The overspending for the 2018/19 revised estimates related to higher than expected costs for events such as two royal funerals.

The 2019/20 three-year financial period also provided for inflationary increases in the money transferred to the royal household trust, as well as for the king and his ceremonies such as Umkhosi Womhlanga (reed dance), Umkhosi Wamaganu (annual amarula festival), Umkhosi Woselwa (Thanksgiving), and homecoming of Abakhwetha (initiates).

Other inflationary increases related to various operational costs and renovations of the king’s palaces.