By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Zulu Prime Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi has dismissed reports that he was resigning from his duties as Prime Minister of the Zulu Royal Household.
In a statement Buthelezi’s spokersperson Liezel van der Merwe on his behalf said, “I wish to reassure the public and Zulu nation at large that their traditional prime minister continues to serve at the behest of his Majesty King MisuZulu kaZwelithini for as long as Isilo requires his services, support and guidance.”
Buthelezi has served the Zulu nation as traditional prime minister since 1954. Nothing has changed in this regard. “He remains fully committed to his responsibilities as traditional prime minister, “said van der Merwe.
She said any announcement to the contrary would have been handled by Buthelezi himself through a formal communique from the traditional prime minister’s office, and after due consultation.
“It is therefore evident that the current media reports are false. We reject any attempts to drive disunity amongst the Zulu nation by the circulation of such blatant lies,” she said.
Buthelezi is said to have refused to back the king by filing supporting affidavits in the court case against Prince Simakade unless Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela is sacked.
He tells Buthelezi that he has not filed his answering affidavit for the kingship case, which is due to take place next week in Pretoria, because he (Misuzulu) did not heed Buthelezi’s call to re-appoint judge Jerome Ngwenya as Ingonyama Trust board, and instead, forged ahead with the appointment of Inkosi Mzimela in the position, against Buthelezi’s will.
During my communication with you, through your son, on the evening of May 15, 2023, it became evident that your purported reluctance to attend to the signing of the answering affidavit are not related to any issues contained in the aforesaid affidavit.”
To the contrary, your reluctance to sign the answering affidavit appears to be emanating from unrelated issues which falls outside the ambit of the subject application and our answering affidavit. Among the issues raised were the following: the demand that the newly appointed Inkosi Mzimela tender his resignation as the chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust Board, ” reads the letter.
The letter outlined all the issues pertaining to the appointment of the board chairperson, with Buthelezi saying the signing of the answering affidavit by him and the king was on condition that Mzimela is dismissed.
The king said as a result of this “rather unfortunate impasse”, he was terminating the mandate of a law firm that was handling the matter and was appointing his own firm to act on his behalf.
King Misuzulu’s spokesperson Prince Simphiwe Zulu said they have received no official notification about Buthelezi’s resignation.
“Isilo has received no official notification on this matter. We are also hearing it through the grapevine so we won’t dignify it. If there is any substance to this, Isilo will wait for a formal communication from Prince Buthelezi,” said Zulu.