Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is facing threats of war after his controversial decision to “sell” mineral-rich land belonging to two clans in the province to his cronies.
The monarch recently appointed the president of the Amadelangokubona business forum, Malusi Zondi, to oversee a portion of land in Umzinyathi — which falls under inkosi Mqoqi Ngcobo — and appointed businessman Qiniso Ncube to oversee a portion of land in Mtubatuba, sparking fury among the Mkhwanazi clan in the area.
It is alleged the land belonging to the amakhosi was “sold” to his friends in exchange for cows and other unknown benefits.
Now some members of the Mkhwanazi clan have threatened war, while others want to boycott the king and separate themselves from the Zulu kingdom if the decision is not reversed.
They have also threatened to shut down the N2 route, which is used to transport essential goods from the ports of Durban and Richards Bay.
The king was due to speak to the Zulu nation on Monday, but the address was cancelled after an urgent meeting with inkosi Ntokozo Mkhwanazi at Khangelamankengane royal palace. The meeting ended in a deadlock.
On Friday, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who is from the area, entered the fray and called for calm.
Addressing his clan, Mkhwanazi said no-one had the right to claim he was looking after a piece of land that belonged to an inkosi.
“It needs to be clear: if the land is for abaKhwanazi and you reside under their chiefdom, you need to subscribe to that chiefdom. You cannot say you came to oversee a piece of land. Any piece of land under any chiefdom is overseen by that particular inkosi.”
Mkhwanazi urged the clan not to make rash decisions, saying he had scheduled a meeting in Mtubatuba on November 16, to which he had invited provincial co-operative governance & traditional affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi.
He said he would also summon Ncube to the meeting.
“I will assign the police to look for Ncube. He needs to come to that meeting to explain his role here in Mtubatuba,” Mkhwanazi said to loud cheers.
He said Buthelezi would explain that the piece of land “assigned”, which includes a mine that pays the royal family millions in royalties, falls under abaKhwanazi.
Buthelezi told the Sunday Times the land issue had divided the nation and was at a “boiling point”. He said Mkhwanazi called him on Friday to attend the meeting on November 16.
Ncube and Zondi did not respond to queries.
On Friday, the embattled king married his third wife, Nomzamo Myeni, in a low-key traditional ceremony, with some of his siblings and some politicians snubbing the event at Jozini stadium.
The ceremony came in a week of confusion amid contradictory statements after an invitation was sent to guests and the public by Prince Gibizizwe Zulu and the Myeni family.
Early in the week a statement was issued announcing that the wedding had been cancelled because there was a bereavement in the royal family.
Myeni’s foundation issued a statement calling this fake news and assuring the nation that the wedding would go ahead.
A highly placed source close to the royal family said even the king was not aware that he was getting married.
“I spoke to the king; he told me that he learnt from the media that he was getting married,” said the source.
The king and his delegation travelled to Jozini and participated in the ceremony, to the delight of the Myeni family, after the wedding had been postponed at the eleventh hour in January.
Former Zulu regiments commander Prince Vanana Zulu lambasted people who, he said, had tried to sabotage the wedding.
Delivering a thanksgiving address on behalf of the Zulu royal family, the prince said there were “jealous” people in the royal family who didn’t want the ceremony to proceed.
Today the king will tie the knot in a traditional wedding at KwaKhangelamankengane royal palace.
EFF leader Julius Malema, Mpumalanga premier Mandla Ndlovu, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi and businessman Sandile Zulu are reported to have confirmed their attendance.
The king’s spokesperson, Prince Thulani Zulu, did not answer his phone or respond to messages.
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