Having emerged victorious in court battles and skirmishes against his siblings over his heirship, newly crowned Zulu king MisuZulu kaZwelithini has another mammoth task on his hands.
The 47-year-old has to appoint the next traditional prime minister to the monarchy and the Zulu nation.
The position, which is now held by IFP president emeritus and elder statesman Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, is regarded as the heart of the throne. The prime minister is entrusted with protecting the throne and providing wisdom on royal matters.
Dr Gugu Mazibuko, University of KwaZulu-Natal academic and cultural expert, explained: “The king, on his own wisdom, appoints somebody whom he trusts but he must be of royal blood. He can decide to elevate someone from the KwaDlamahlahla Palace because it is an ikhohlwa [left-hand house]. The king can also appoint one of his cousins. Of paramount importance is that whoever is selected should have extensive knowledge of Zulu traditions and customs.”
Ikhohlwa is a Zulu word referring to a second wife in a polygamous marriage. In kingships, the wife is considered a non-heir-bearing queen as in the case of Queen Buhle kaMathe, Zwelithini’s second wife.
Sunday World has established that calls are mounting within the royal house for MisuZulu to appoint someone immediately after his coronation. There are also fears that once Buthelezi is gone, there would be a leadership vacuum. Royal elders fear that this might lead to chaos.
“This is a serious matter because age is catching up with uMntwana (Buthelezi). Someone is needed to take the baton from him,” said one royal insider not authorised to speak to the media.
Buthelezi said it was his wish that once he is no more, the monarchy be served by someone selfless with a sense of responsibility and a deep understanding of the rich history of the Zulu nation.
“It is the king’s prerogative to appoint his traditional prime minister. This is not a role that one is trained for or can study for. In my case I was appointed by my first cousin, King Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon, in 1954, and subsequently by his son, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu… All the knowledge of our nation’s history and traditions were passed down to me,” said Buthelezi.
King Zwelithini’s sister’s son, Prince Mthokozisi MazwikaZulu Ntombela, has emerged as a frontrunner toreplace Buthelezi. Meanwhile, the coronation ceremony of MisuZulu has been postpone to a date not yet announced following the floods that ravaged the province. His coronation was scheduled for the 28th of May the royal house said it was still mourning more than 400 people who perished.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
