Durban — King Misuzulu says he would use his new palace to host tourists that will be attending this year’s annual reed dance ceremony.
The KwaNkomonye palace in Nkandla, northern KwaZulu-Natal, was officially opened on Friday and handed over to the king after being renovated by businessman Phumlani Ngwenya.
In a statement issued by the king’s head of communications and stakeholder relations Prince Africa Zulu, the palace would be a tourist attraction during the reed dance (Umkhosi Womhlanga) which annually take place at Enyokeni Royal palace in KwaNongoma. Zulu said the king would host many tourists who have already expressed their wishes to be introduced to the monarch.
The prince said the upgrading of the palace was in line with promotion of heritage and tourism. He said the upgrade was also a response to the calls that the palace should be elevated to promote heritage and tourism in the kingdom.
“We must hasten to point out that the upgrading of KwaNkomonye palace is timely given the fact that already there is an influx of calls from visitors from different parts of the globe who can’t wait to set their foot in the king and to be presented to His Majesty. With Reed Dance and many other cultural activities scheduled to take place over the next few months, some high profile visitors will be hosted by His Majesty in KwaNkomonye and in other palaces,” said Zulu.
The upgrading of the palace was also hailed by the Zulu historian Professor Jabulani Maphalala who said the renovations were a fulfilment of the late king Zwelithini who asked for the upgrading of the historic palace. Maphalala said the palace was the first one built during the arrival of the first Zulu kings from Juba in Sudan.
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