Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has called an urgent Zulu royal family meeting. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
Durban - After meeting amakhosi (chiefs) last Friday in Empangeni on matters related to Ingonyama Trust, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is now set to urgently meet with members of the royal family.
The meeting to take place on Friday in Ulundi, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, will be between him and heads of all Zulu royal houses and other senior members of the royal family.
He wants to brief them about the present state of the royal house and the Ingonyama Trust.
The issue of Ingonyama Trust has pitted Buthelezi against King Misuzulu to the extent that he has said he finds it difficult to serve as his traditional prime minister.
Their major differences are over the appointment of the Ingonyama Trust Board led by Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela, replacing former Judge Jerome Ngwenya who was appointed to the position by the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, the father of the reigning king.
According to Buthelezi, King Misuzulu is not jealously guarding the trust which inherited over 3.5 million hectares of land from the Bantustan government of KwaZulu.
JUST IN: After meeting Amakhosi on Friday in EMpangeni on matters related to Ingonyama Trust, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is now set to meet with members of the royal family. The meeting to take place on Friday in Ulundi will be between him and heads of
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 30, 2023
"As the author of the Ingonyama Trust and as an elder in the Zulu Royal Family and Nation, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi will be meeting with members of the Zulu Royal House on Friday to appraise them of current matters," reads a short notice sent out by Buthelezi's spokesperson, Liezl van der Merwe on Tuesday.
Some royal houses have already started circulating the invitation and pleaded with members to attend, while others have rejected it.
One house that has circulated the invitation is the house of Ekuthokozeni where the former spokesperson of King Misuzulu, Prince Thulani, belongs.
Those from houses that are backing Prince Simakade in his legal fight for the Zulu throne have rejected the invitation.
In a leaked voice note circulated on Tuesday, Prince Mandlakapheli Zulu from Ngudwini said they are not interested in the meeting.
"He (Buthelezi) is taking us for a ride, we can see the game he is playing.
"We once asked to meet him through a letter signed by Prince Mxolisi and he set preconditions before meeting us.
"Among them was that he was going to only meet with the houses of Mqwalajuba (King Dinuzulu), the house of Bhusha (King Bhekuzulu) and the house of Umndlokombane (King Goodwill).
"All along, he never recognised these houses and their heads.
"Only now he sees them, we can see the game he is playing," Prince Mandlakapheli said in the voice note also sent to IOL.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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