By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the late Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini will be accorded an official state funeral.
King Zwelithini passed away in hospital in the early hours of Friday after an extended illness.
The special official funeral category 1 will entail ceremonial elements provided by the SA National Defence Force.
Ramaphosa also authorised that the national flag be flown at half-mast at every flag station in the country from Saturday morning until the evening of the funeral service.
In terms of the state, official and provincial funeral policy manual, the president may designate the funeral of a distinguished person, on request by the premier of a province, as a special official funeral.
Ramaphosa has expressed his sincere condolences to the royal family, to the Zulu nation, and to the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Details of the funeral will be announced in due course.
Details of the funeral will be announced in due course.
Born on 14 July 1948 in Nongoma, northern KwaZulu-Natal, he’s the eldest son of King Cyprian Bhekuzulu and his second wife, Queen Thomo.
Following his father’s passing in 1968, King Zwelithini – as he was often called – was appointed to the throne, he was just a 20-year-old student at the time.
But, he was not crowned until 1971 because he had to go into hiding outside the kingdom following a plot to have him killed.
King Zwelithini had six wives during his lifetime and at least 28 children.
Watch: Zulu king: I won’t let my people forget our history | Talk to Al Jazeera.
Video Courtesy of Al Jazeera.