Zulu king 'can have say' on constitution

31 July 2017 - 06:51
By SUTHENTIRA GOVENDER
King Goodwill Zwelithini. File photo.
Image: JACKIE CLAUSEN King Goodwill Zwelithini. File photo.

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's scathing attack on South Africa's constitution is not unconstitutional.

So says Tusi Fokane‚ head of the Freedom of Expression Institute‚ in reaction to the monarch's apparent criticism of the constitution at his 69th birthday celebration on Saturday.

The SABC reported that the king referred to the constitution as "unfair and anti-African" during his birthday address at his Nongoma palace in KwaZulu-Natal.

The SABC quoted the Zulu king as saying: "It pains me to note I am a ruler‚ yet there's someone who's above me. That person will do as he pleases because he knows his powers are limited to certain government terms." Fokane said the king was entitled to his opinion.

"He was expressing his opinion‚ which he is entitled to‚" she said