WATCH | Julius Malema urges Zulu royal family to unite and maintain relevance

EFF leader Julius Malema preached unity and continuation of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's legacy during his visit to the royal palace on Tuesday.

Malema was accompanied by EFF members including Floyd Shivambu to convey their condolences after the king's passing last week.

Addressing the media from outside the royal palace, Malema said the king's successor must maintain the relevance of the Zulu monarchy, as was done by the late monarch. He said disunity had rendered other monarchies irrelevant.

“We have lost a king. He was a king of all of us because of the way he carried himself. Many monarchs are no longer respected, many monarchs are not taken seriously because of simple issues of unity.

“The death of the king should not serve as a source of divisions, if anything, it must be something that unites them,” he said.

Malema said King Zwelithini was a progressive leader who did not shy away from engaging in debates about important issues.

He said traditional leaders are important role players in tackling the land issue.

“We have always emphasised in the EFF that the custodians of the land as it were now, are the kings and chiefs and we need to work with them to make sure that we redistribute the land and give it to our people.

“It must not only be given to males, [but] it must also be given to females,” he said.

Scores watched through social media as Malema and other leaders engaged the members of the royal family. Many weighed in on the visit on Twitter, using #EFFAtZuluRoyalPalace.

Here's a glimpse of what was said: