Inkosi Phathisizwe Luthuli, of the uMnini traditional council would be laid to rest on Sunday.
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Inkosi Phathisizwe Luthuli of the Umnini Traditional Council, who was 63, is set to be laid to rest on Sunday.
The inkosi passed away after collapsing at his uMgababa home on the south coast of Durban on Monday. He was taken to Kingsway Hospital in Amanzimtoti, where he was declared deceased.
His eldest daughter, Nomasonto Luthuli-Madlala, confirmed the Sunday funeral arrangements on Thursday. She expressed the family's shock at the inkosi's untimely death, as he had not reported any prior illnesses before his collapse.
“My father had just finished his supper. Without saying a word, he collapsed but was immediately spotted by the bodyguard who alerted the family. We rushed him to hospital, where he was declared dead,” she said.
Two weeks ago, the inkosi (chief) expressed fear for his life, believing he would be killed by the same people who murdered his induna (headman), who was also a local ANC leader.
Luthuli previously dismissed rumours of a political motive behind the induna's killing, attributing it instead to an ongoing dispute over the induna's appointment.
In a statement of condolences on Wednesday, KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi described Luthuli as a consistent source of guidance, particularly for younger amakhosi, and for his steady involvement in community development.
Buthelezi said that his commitment to strengthening governance was evident last month, when he was among 47 amakhosi who completed the Leadership and Good Governance Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The provincial ANC leadership, coordinated by Mike Mabuyakhulu, was among the senior leaders who visited the inkosi's family on Wednesday to pay their respects.
A large number of traditional leaders from across the province were also expected to visit the family on Thursday.
Three years ago, Inkosi Luthuli was involved in a car crash on the N3 when his bakkie overturned after he blacked out while driving. He sustained head injuries and was taken to Busamed Hillcrest Hospital, where he received stitches.
Last year, he joined growing calls for the removal of undocumented foreign nationals in the area, whom he accused of stifling the economic emancipation of residents in uMgababa.
Luthuli’s traditional authority stretches from uMgababa to the uMkhomazi River mouth.
The Luthuli clan was initially settled in the area currently known as Bluff, close to the Durban harbour. In 1858, they were relocated to uMgababa, on land granted by the British Crown. This move, executed under the traditional leadership of Inkosi Mnini Luthuli, was necessitated by the need to develop and expand the Durban harbour.