Issue over the voice of the king
KING Misuzulu KaZwelithini and KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala must now intervene in an ugly and shameful public war between royals to save the image and dignity of the mighty Zulu kingdom.
Given the importance of the communications department in any institution, the damage that the tug of war between traditional Prime Minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and the king’s spokesperson, Prince Africa Zulu, is causing harm to the image of the kingdom.
There is an urgent need for the king and, to a larger extent, the premier to intervene.
The intervention no longer requires a statement but a public address to the nation by the king since statements will have to be issued by the very same princes who are fighting over who has the authority to communicate kingdom information to the public.
The bone of contention is who is the rightful person to disseminate information to the public on behalf of the king between Prince Thulani and Prince Africa.
So given the importance of their positions as the mouthpiece of the king and the royal family, their issue urgently warrants the intervention by the king and the royal family as well as the premier.
The best way to resolve the debacle is for the king to clarify the roles of Thulani and Africa and also clarify Buthelezi’s role as traditional prime minister.
In this day and age, all the roles and responsibilities given to individuals come with an appointment letter and clear job description to avoid confusion and interference in one another’s roles.
As it stands, the public and the media are confused as to who is the rightful spokesperson for the king. The media is in the dark about whose statements – between Africa and Thulani – should be used.
We bring the premier into this issue because his office, which runs the royal household department, is an important stakeholder. And through his office, the provincial government has allocated a budget of R67 million.
The royals are supposed to be seized with the preparations for the long-awaited coronation of the king, but there is now a dispute over the issue of the spokesperson.