The rift between Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and prime minister of the Zulu monarch Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi became evident at the weekend after the royal house disputed Buthelezi’s claims that the King had been hospitalised eSwatini following suspected poisoning.
Cultural experts have described this as an indication of a division and cautioned that the blurred communication lines would harm the royal family.
Buthelezi said in a statement on Saturday night that the king was in hospital and further claimed that one of his majesty’s senior indunas, Douglas Xaba, who worked closely with the king, had died suddenly of suspected poisoning.
However, a statement released by Misuzulu’s newly appointed spokesperson, Prince Africa Zulu, said the monarch was in “perfect condition” and not in hospital.
Prince Africa deemed the reports as defamatory and baseless. He, however, confirmed Xaba’s death.
Buthelezi said in the statement: “It is with great concern that I have received news from honourable Prince Vumile, brother to his Majesty King Mswati III, that his Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is being treated in a hospital in eSwatini, having taken ill earlier today.
“When his majesty began to feel unwell he suspected that he too may have been poisoned. He immediately sought out medical treatment in eSwatini. I am informed that His Majesty felt uncomfortable seeking treatment in SA as his parents had both received treatment in SA and subsequently died,” said Buthelezi.
Prince Africa said King Misuzulu was in eSwatini to see his uncle King Mswati III, that country’s head of state.
“The office of the crown king felt it prudent that during this visit the king should undergo a medical examination while there,” said Prince Africa.
“This is informed by the context of our current times of pandemics such as Covid-19 and other dangerous ailments. His majesty’s office decided to err on the side of caution and ensure that all possible impediments were tested to mitigate any untimely eventuality, given reports of Mr Xaba’s sudden death.
“It appears that there is an orchestrated agenda and a desperate narrative to communicate defamatory and baseless claims of his majesty's ill health. This is not the first occasion such tactics have been mobilised. Similar activities were done during his majesty’s recent visit to eSwatini.
“The motives are unclear at this stage, however, the king remains cognisant that the political environment is ripe due to the approaching cycle of political elections. It seems that the intention is to create a public perception that his majesty is unwell and unfit. Ultimately, this creates unnecessary panic and perceptions of instability in the royal crown.”
Speaking to SABC news on Sunday, Zulu said: “The king left yesterday for eSwatini immediately after he got the news that his closest confidante Mr Douglas Xaba has passed away. He expressed that he was not well after receiving the news of Xaba, whom lived with and died so sudden.
"We advised the king, who was due for routine medical check-up, to go do them. I personally wanted him to go to Pretoria but he chose eSwatini because he wanted to visit his uncle. A hospital and hotel are two different things.”
Asked if the king’s life was in danger, Zulu said: “You could never really rule out threats on the king’s life because he is a Zulu king. He controls hectors of land and trillions of resources. There will always be people who have their own agendas. I don’t know how the message got distorted, I don’t think it was the prime minister’s intention to share information which was not really consistent with the truth.”
He had not responded to our questions at the time of going to print.
Professor Pitika Ntuli said what happened in the two days was confusing.
“The king is doing well but the Induna is dead. I don’t think the death of Xaba is innocent. I think the king is playing it down when he says he is fine. All these fights against him are not going to stop. They will continue trying everything until they win."
Professor Musa Xulu, the founder of Indonsa Yesizwe Think Tank, said:
“His majesty is not aware that he still needs to justify why people should still believe in traditional leadership in a democracy. I have not seen him talking about programmes that will improve people’s lives and change their economic status but he appears in the papers for conflicts.”
Buthelezi’s spokesperson Liezl van der Merwe said the prime minister to the Zulu nation stood by the statement he released.
bambalelep@sowetan.co.za
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