“Referencing past connection is very important in politics but important events heritage events like the 110th commemoration of King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo should not be used as political football.”
That's the view of Prof Musa Xulu, a University of KwaZulu-Natal cultural and heritage expert over friction regarding the date to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the death of King Dinuzulu.
KZN premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube initially announced a commemoration event for the 110th anniversary of the death of King Dinuzulu would be held on Sunday in Ulundi, northern KZN, the same day the IFP will launch its election manifesto in Durban.
This prompted a statement from the Zulu monarch's traditional prime minister, Rev Thulasizwe Buthelezi, who is also the district mayor of Zululand and a senior IFP leader, on Wednesday that neither King Misuzulu kaZwelithini nor a delegation from the royal family would attend the event because it had been announced without consulting him.
Dube-Ncube later announced the event had been postponed to March 16.
The date debacle has raised questions of a possible political meddling in matters of heritage importance between the ANC-led provincial government and the IFP leadership, who are close to the royal house, a view Xulu has also observed.
“When I saw what traditional prime minister Buthelezi had written, I said this is politics. They could have problems if this event continues on Sunday, and they have their event at Moses Mabhida [on the same day],” he said.
King Dinuzulu’s name carries some kind of “political capital” that both the ANC and IFP believe they have reasonable claim to based on the past and their respective proximity to him, Xulu said.
“IFP can claim that they are close because uMntwana wakaPhindangene [Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi] is their founder and the ANC can say this man died an honorary life president of theirs.
“The competition is obviously there because the political capital of King Dinuzulu is very big for these two organisations.”
If you don’t have connection with the past, politics become very difficult. That’s why new political parties don’t prosper because they don’t have direct connectivity with the past
— Prof Musa Xulu
He said reference to the past was a major commodity in politics because it gives organisations a reference to mobilise from and relate to parts of their constituency.
“Most of politics is heritage-based because in politics it becomes very important. You must stand up and say you’re the descendants of Oliver Tambo (politically), for example.
“If you don’t have connection with the past, politics become very difficult. That’s why new political parties don’t prosper because they don’t have direct connectivity with the past.”
Xulu cautioned against letting that competitiveness interfere with significant events such as the commemoration.
“It’s not a good thing at all for important heritage events, especially commemorations of our past personalities, to be turned into political football. They should be used as points to rally and conduct nation-building around.”
King Dinuzulu died in 1913, having ruled for 25 years. He had been captured by the British and exiled to St Helena for seven years between 1890 and 1897 before being installed as an induna upon his release.
Xulu described him as a “transitional king” who reigned over a period of war with spears to protect the land before his incarceration on St Helena and embraced the new discourse upon his release, understanding the need for education, and befriended the new kind of political leader of that time, like JL Dube and Pixley ka-Isaka Seme.
“He insisted that children be sent to school because the era of fighting with spears was gone; the fight needed to be carried by brains.
“It’s very important for that transition to be understood because sometimes even when it comes to telling the history of liberation, we tend to focus on the period of political organisations and leave out the role of amakhosi.”
He also highlighted the three major events in the recent history that has heightened the relevance of cultural and heritage matters among the modern day youth, both locally and internationally:
- the death of King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu in 2021;
- the ascendency of King Misuzulu to the throne; as well as
- the passing of traditional prime minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Media coverage is these events sparked an interest of understanding traditional leadership systems, he said.
“There is a lot of interest now, even from young people and even those who want to make films out of these Zulu stories, and others who want to see if these Zulu stories cannot be translated into opportunities for cultural heritage tourism, so it has impact on economic development.”
The offspring of that is traditional matters were no longer associated with “backwardness”, he said.
Xulu urged the public, especially the youth, to continue attending these events — starting with the commemoration of the death of King Dinuzulu — not only for nation-building purposes but to also seek modern economic opportunities.
“It’s an opportunity that needs to be grabbed and looked at from economic and social cohesion perspective. These things were not in front of the eyes of people, but mainstream media has continuously reported on these events and people have become conscious of their cultures and traditions.
“We’re a new democracy and still undergoing nation-building. Nation-building needs — among other things besides economy, social cohesion and memories — people must know how we arrived where we are and who sacrificed what.”
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