King's purse-holder takes him to CCMA

Clashes over who would foot the bill for King Goodwill Zwelithini's military regalia, wedding and other expenses have become public, with the former chief executive of the KwaZulu-Natal Royal Household Trust revealing the pressure he says he came under to sign off the spending.

Njabulo Buthelezi resigned in June after questioning the chair of the trust, Judge Jerome Ngwenya, about the procurement of services and goods. He had been in the job for just nine months.

He wants his job back or to be paid out for the remainder of his five-year contract.

Buthelezi will tell the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration that the trust's procurement policy was erratic, with Ngwenya allegedly pushing for expenses that were not budgeted for, or were outside its mandate.

In February, Buthelezi questioned a quotation of more than R2.8-million for imported military regalia for Zwelithini, his wives, children and the Ingonyama Trust board, to be worn at the second opening of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature in June.

In May, he was told that procurement for one queen had to apply for all the wives. One example was when one queen asked for a replacement television set and Buthelezi was ordered to investigate whether other palaces had the same requirement. He was concerned that the "expensive exercise" would have negative financial implications for the trust.

In June, Buthelezi questioned why the department of the royal household was not paying for Zwelithini's wedding and birthday party.

The trust has since failed to settle R1.6-million owed to Sizwe Gwala, the owner of Xolisisizwe Trading and Projects, which organised the 66-year-old king's wedding to Swazi national Zola Mafu, 28, in July.

The royal household department was allocated R54.2-million for the 2014-2015 financial year for administrative services to the king and his family; "maintenance of the royal household infrastructure [and] refurbishment of the six palaces". It received R2.9-million to run the king's five farms.

The trust, set up by the provincial government five years ago, was meant to replace the royal household department, but both are now operating.

It was reported two weeks ago that the king was broke.

Ngwenya admitted there was a financial crisis and said the reason for the trust's difficulties was that it was never fully costed and budgeted for.

The trust's first chief executive, Nkululeko Luthuli - grandson of the late ANC president Albert Luthuli - was axed in 2012 for the alleged misuse of about R3-million of trust money. Luthuli, who earned more than R1-million a year, was ordered to repay R212000.

The trust will respond to Buthelezi's papers by January 20, ahead of the start of the CCMA hearing in February.