Expropriation ‘threatens rainbow nation spirit’

“Without food there would be no Zulu nation, which is why I am saying farmers must come to me to discuss agriculture.

“That is why I appealed to AfriForum to help us with food production. AfriForum has promised to work with me to develop agriculture,” he said.

He said if South Africa runs out of food, its citizens would cross borders to neighbouring countries.

“White people came to me to say ‘now we are ready to work with you’.

“When the debate about expropriation of land without compensation started, the Russians said to them ‘come here’ because they (the Russians) know that white farmers are hard workers, who feed the whole world. The same Russians that helped you during the struggle are now taking people who oppressed you,” he said.

The king said it was unfair that certain white farmers were previously compensated for their farms and “now there is no compensation”.

“This means we are not building unity (between whites and blacks). This means current leaders are no longer talking about Madiba’s rainbow nation,” said the king.

He also called for President Cyril Ramaphosa to appear before an imbizo to assure the Zulu nation that the government would not disband the Ingonyama Trust Act.

He said he wants Ramaphosa to address the nation and also sign agreements that protect the Ingonyama Trust Board.

Acting Premier Sihle Zikalala, who is also KZN Economic Development MEC, assured the king that the government would not touch Ingonyama land.