The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has officially declared and opened the grave of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi as a provincial heritage site.
The official declaration and opening took place on Wednesday in Buthelezi’s palace at KwaPhingangene, outside the town of Ulundi. It was presided over by the premier of the province, Thamsanqa Ntuli.
Buthelezi is the son of Princess Magogo Zulu (the daughter of King Dinuzulu) and Inkosi Mathole Buthelezi of the Buthelezi clan in Mahlabathini. He died in September 2023, aged 95. At the time, he had as the longest traditional prime minister in the 209-year history of the Zulu nation.
A life spent in leadership
He was first appointed into the position in 1954 by King Bhekuzulu. Later he was reappointed by King Goodwill Zwelithini. He then served King Zwelithini’s successor, his son King Misuzulu, for almost a year before he died.
In the 1970s, when the apartheid government had banned the ANC and other political parties, Buthelezi was tasked by the late Kenneth Kaunda and Oliver Tambo to form the then Inkatha Movement so that they could continue to mobilise along cultural lines. He heeded the command. And he also heeded the command to join and lead the former homeland of KwaZulu-Natal.
He also founded the present-day Inkatha Freedom Party and led it for 44 uninterrupted years. In 2019 he surrendered its presidency to Velenkosi Hlabisa, the current Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Speaking at the unveiling, Buthelezi’s successor, Inkosi Zuzifa Buthelezi, paid tribute to him. He said his father was an extraordinary man who successfully juggled modern politics and traditional leadership with ease.
Tribute from successor
“At some point there were those who told my father to vacate his parliamentary seat and focus on his role as the traditional leader at KwaPhindangene. He asked them how he can leave parliament if the issue of traditional leaders and their powers has not been resolved. He stressed that he was there to ensure that the legislation that formed the Ingonyama Trust, which holds tribal land in the province, is not repealed,” Inkosi Zuzifa said.
Other provincial heritage sites in the province include the grave of King Shaka in KwaDukuza outside Durban. The grave of King Cetshwayo in Nkandla under the Shezi clan of Sigananda KaZokufa. And the eMakhosini area in Babanango, where ancient Zulu kings like Senzangakhona lie buried.
As a provincial heritage site, the grave will now become a key focus for history lessons for historians. This is according to the KwaZulu-Natal Amafa and Research Institute, the provincial heritage resources authority in the province.
Key focus of history
The institute further said the site will also be added as a key tourism attraction for Western tourists. Paticularly those who come to the province to learn about the rich Zulu history. As well as the battles the kingdom fought with the British and Boers.
Since Buthelezi’s grave is in Ulundi, it will now be part of the Zululand heritage route. The route stretches from Gingindlovu up to Pongola.
Heritage sites are not guarded, but they are routinely maintained for tourism purposes.
