Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has defended the Zulu monarch against claims made by the Indonsa Yesizwe Think Tank that the role played by the Anglican Church in the handover ceremony on Saturday amounts to the recolonisation of the Zulu nation.
Buthelezi, who called a press briefing yesterday to clear the air, was reacting to a statement issued by the organisation in which it noted with regret the performance of unexplained rituals and singing of the African Union anthem during the ceremony where President Cyril Ramaphosa was handing over the certificate of recognition to King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini.
The anointing of the king, in which Archbishop Thabo Makgoba laid his hand on the king’s head, was frowned upon by some commentators on social media.
Prof Musa Xulu of Indonsa YeSizwe said in a statement: “Indonsa note that social media is abuzz with speculation about the nature and source of the rituals that includes the ring and the anointing oil given to our king during the unexplained rituals, resulting in some social media fundis denouncing the Zulu nation as naïve and ignorant.
“The organisation has noted with much regret that when a similar strange set of unexplained rituals were conducted by Theophilus Shepstone and his team on 1st September 1873, the foundation for the destruction of the Zulu Kingdom was instantly laid. Six years later, on 4th July 1879, the Zulu Kingdom was destroyed by some 20,000 invading British soldiers recruited from around the world.”
Buthelezi said he was devastated by the accusations against Makgoba and his team, stating that there was nothing untoward in laying hands on the head of the king.
“I do not regret asking the archbishop to perform this service and I believe that it was done in a superbly dignified manner. This was wholly appropriate for a Christian king. The whole ritual performed by the Anglican Church was not prescribed. Yet it was meticulously performed and was appreciated by those who witnessed it. I carried a duty to ensure that it was done in a manner befitting the dignity of our king.
“I simply cannot fathom how Indonsa yeSizwe can claim that the Christian ceremony performed on Saturday opens the way for the defeat of the Zulu nation and the reoccurrence of the tragedy of the 4th of July 1879. I find this statement quite embarrassing and deeply insulting to the head of my church. I am perhaps more embarrassed because I have given my support to Indonsa yeSizwe since its formation and believe it to be a valuable vehicle through which our nation’s traditions and identity can be preserved.
“I want it to be known that it was I who invited the archbishop to perform this service and I believe that he and his fellow bishops acted with unquestionable dignity and appropriateness. I arranged this consecration, and in doing so I was doing my duty to my king. If there is any blame to be apportioned, let it be apportioned to me. But I do not believe that anything inappropriate was done. The Anglican Church and His Grace the Archbishop are owed an unreserved apology.”
Asked to react to Buthelezi’s statement made during a press briefing, Xulu said: “We have taken note of the contents contained in his statement. We do not want to engage with Shenge [Buthelezi] in public on the issues raised by Indonsa and his response to them, as we believe in other forms of engagement. We are encouraged by Shenge’s agreement with our preferred interfaith approach in functions supported by government .”
The office of Archbishop Makgoba said he was unavailable to respond to Indonsa claims because of other church engagements.
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