King Misuzulu unveils his vision
‘My father left a foundation that I will build on’
MAKING Ingonyama Trust land productive for the Zulu nation, eliminating gender-based violence and working for the people were some of the many issues new Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini says will occupy him as he settles on the throne, despite facing opposition from some family members.
Speaking to eNCA from Mkhuze in northern KwaZulu-Natal yesterday, the 47-year-old traditional leader also spoke, , about the legacy of his late father, King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu.
This was the king’s first interview with the media since being named as the heir to the throne last month.
Furthermore, he also spoke about his family life and his wife, and the possibility of marrying more women in future.
Speaking in English and donning a western suit, he said that when he had to be whisked out of KwaKhangelamankengane Palace in Nongoma on the night of May 7, he had had to “grow up”. This was shortly after he had been nominated in Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu’s will as the next Zulu king.
This was in reference to an incident in which his life was put at risk when Prince Thokozani Zulu rose up to challenge him being named as the next king, throwing the meeting into chaos. His close-security detail, fearing that he could be in danger amid the chaos, whisked him out of the palace.
“I had to be responsible, I had to grow up on that day. I had to think differently, I had to now become a king,” he said.
Asked about his vision for the Zulu nation as he takes the throne, he said he was lucky that his father had laid a solid foundation for him, and he was going to use it wisely to take the nation forward.
“What my father left as a foundation for us to carry on, I have to build on that, not to eliminate and say we are starting a new thing, new beginnings. I think my father, the king, had already started on a good note, he laid the foundation for myself and for the nation …
“I really have a foundation that I am going to work with in so far as all I need to do, and maybe a few years later I can start my own foundation, but I need to complete what the late king has already initiated,” he said.
The king also confirmed that he was married to Queen Ntokozo Mayisela, 36, and that they had two children. Asked if he would take more wives, he said: “Look, coming from a polygamous background … we can expect anything, I don’t want to shy away from my Zulu culture and my family culture. For now I am happy with the one that I’ve got.”
On the question of the Ingonyama Trust, a thorny issue that once pitted his late father against the national government when it wanted to disband the trust and take the 2.8 million hectares of land and place it in the hands of the state, he said: “I think history tells us where the land of the Zulus is – there is no question, and for us it is to take that land and get it to be able to be developed, the right way, with other partners invited to our land.
“The Zulus cannot do it alone, we need other friends and other systems to come and work with us to make things happen on our land,” he said.
On eliminating the gender-based violence that is ravaging the country, he said that was one of his priorities as he settled into his new role.
King Misuzulu appealed to the nation to have confidence in him, and to work with him to take the Zulu kingdom forward.
Meanwhile, Prince Simakade Zulu, the new contender for the Zulu throne and the first-born son of the late king, has finally spoken out about his ambition for the throne, telling The Mercury yesterday that a statement from May 12 that was attributed to him, purportedly saying that he would not challenge his brother, was “misunderstood or deliberately distorted”, but he did not say by whom or how.
“Notwithstanding my clear and unambiguous position, stated in my statement, circumstances have compelled me to repeat what I previously said, namely that if the Zulu royal family – which, as you may know, has the exclusive jurisdiction and right to appoint the heir to the throne – were to nominate and appoint me, I would not dishonour its wishes,” the prince said.
This has since taken the fight for the throne up a notch as King Misuzulu is already facing a legal challenge from Queen Sibongile Dlamini, his father’s first wife, and her two daughters, Princess Ntandoyenkosi Zulu and Princess Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma.
They are contesting the will of the former king, saying it appeared that some of the signatures in it were not legitimate. In extension, they alleged that Misuzulu’s ascension based on that will could not stand.
The respondents in the matter have been ordered to file their papers by June 18.