Why Zulu King MisuZulu Snubbed Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s Funeral
Zulu King MisuZulu kaZwelithini has decided not to participate in the official funeral of the traditional prime minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
The passing of Prince Buthelezi, who died at the age of 95 on Saturday, 9 September 2023, marked a significant moment in South African history. He had recently been discharged from the hospital after a two-month stay, battling back problems, and passed away at his ancestral home in KwaPhindangene, located in eMahlabathini outside Ulundi.
ALSO READ: How Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Passed On
King MisuZulu Not Attending Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s Funeral
The Zulu King will be absent at the traditional prime minister’s official funeral. King MisuZulu’s spokesperson, Prince Africa Zulu of the Onkweni royal house, told Sunday World that the king is bound by cultural policies that dictate his role and responsibilities, preventing him from attending the official ceremony.
“Unfortunately, His Majesty is unable to attend his prime minister’s funeral as the King is forbidden by cultural policies that dictate his reign. This is one of the sad things about being a Zulu king; it is a lonely journey indeed.”
Bad Blood Between The King And The Prime Minister
Prince Buthelezi played a significant role in advocating for MisuZulu’s installation as the king amidst a spirited contest for the AmaZulu throne following the passing of Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini.
However, over time, relations between King MisuZulu and Prince Buthelezi deteriorated, with the late royal’s children believing that this strained relationship contributed to his death.
Princess Phumzile Buthelezi, the daughter of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, shared her father’s emotional struggle:
“My father said I want to tell you, I am emotionally sad. My father was a person who always spoke the truth and said if I can just take off my shirt, you can see how thin I am because of what MisuZulu is doing to me. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. ‘I had asked that he must go to rehab first before ascending to the throne, but his uncle advised otherwise’. And the uncle said he would be sent after ascending to the throne. So, in the main, what killed my father is what is happening in the royal family.”
In the months leading up to Prince Buthelezi’s passing, a heated confrontation between him and King MisuZulu further strained their relationship.
Reports surfaced of the king’s inappropriate conduct, including the alleged smashing of a table and the use of offensive language during a private meeting.
Princess Phumzile Buthelezi added:
“Even the late King has never spoken the way King MisuZulu spoke to me (Prince Buthelezi). Bangs table … after that, the King would say let us burn the incense and talk to the ancestors as if nothing happened and we don’t know what’s happening. So, my father has been sick because of what is happening in the royal family.”