The decision by King Misuzulu kaZwelithini to relocate the annual Zulu reed dance from its original venue to the newly established Mashobeni palace has raised concerns about the potential deterioration of the R300-million eNyokeni precinct.
The king announced this over the weekend while delivering his closing address at the annual Umkhosi Wesivivane (a gathering of Zulu women to discuss social issues), which was held at Mashobeni.
The king told the gathering that the elders have decided that the newly revived palace, located on the border between Nongoma and Uphongolo, which used to be one of the many palaces of King Shaka, would now be the host venue.
This means that the eNyokeni palace in Nongoma, which has been hosting the reed dance since the 1970s when it was revived, would be ditched.
The king admitted that he knew it would be difficult for the people to accept the changes, but nothing could be done, as the ancient kings (elders) had decided that Mashobeni would be the new venue for next month’s reed dance.
“My people, we will now have to quietly lament [the decision]; culture and ancient kings have now directed us to move the ceremony to this place [Mashobeni].
“Fortunately, this is an ancient palace which belonged to the founder of this nation; it is where Queen Nandi lived,” the king said.
DA raises concerns
The announcement sparked concerns from the DA, a key party in the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity, which says the eNyokeni precinct, which was built at the cost of R300-million after stalling for years, could become another white elephant.
To ensure that Nongoma’s multimillion-rand eNyokeni royal palace does not become another white elephant in the province, Tammy Colley, the DA’s spokesperson on public works and sport, arts, and culture in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, said she will send written parliamentary questions to Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and his MEC for public works, Martin Meyer, and sport, arts, and culture MEC, Mntomuhle Khawula.
“The DA respects the cultural significance and the king’s prerogative in deciding on the venue for such an important tradition,” said Colley.
“However, we cannot ignore the fact that the eNyokeni cultural precinct project is now at a close-out stage with significant public funds invested over several years.
“This project aims to create a world-class venue for cultural events, showcase KZN’s rich heritage, and drive economic growth in the area.”
She continued: “The decision to move the annual reed dance raises questions and concerns about the future use of this facility and its maintenance.
“It is now essential that clarity be provided to ensure that public money spent on infrastructure delivers value for both the Zulu nation and KZN’s people.”