By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the eulogy at the special official funeral of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
Buthelezi has been honoured with a special official category 1 funeral.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed this during a press briefing with media houses to update them about the President’s diary at the Union Buildings on Thursday.
He died on Saturday at the age of 95.
On Wednesday a memorial service was held in Ulundi for the Traditional Prime Minister to the Monarch and the Zulu Nation.
His funeral will be held in Ulundi on Saturday.
“In accordance with the State, Official, and Provincial Official Funeral Policy of the government, a Special Official Funeral, Category 1, is a recognition reserved for individuals of extraordinary distinction as designated by the President of the Republic of South Africa,” said spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
“The funeral will include elements of military honours. The President has directed that flags be flown half-mast at flag stations around the country until the evening of Saturday, which is the day of the funeral.”
The acting chief of the Buthelezi clan, Mpikasiye Buthelezi, said considering that this will be a special official funeral, the burial will be two-fold.
The process would get off the ground on Friday after regiments from the Buthelezi clan fetch the Mangosuthu’s body from the mortuary in the nearby town of Ulundi.
“Amabutho (regiments) will be there to bring him home for the last time before he is laid to rest in the family’s cemetery,” Mpikayise explained.
King Misuzulu KaZwelithini will not be attending the late Prince Buthelezi funeral on Saturday.
The king’s spokesperson Prince Africa Zulu said Misuzulu was not allowed to attend the funeral due to “cultural policies”.
Unfortunately, His Majesty is unable to attend his prime minister’s funeral as the king is forbidden by cultural policies that dictate his reign,” Zulu told media.
This is not the first time the king has missed a funeral for the same reasons.
In 2021, then prince, Misuzulu did not attend his father King Goodwill Zwelithini’s funeral. He also did not attend his mother Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu’s funeral.
G77+China Summit
The First Citizen has delegated International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, to lead South Africa’s delegation to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China.
The gathering, which will be held on 15 and 16 September, will focus on the role of science, technology and innovation.
The platform, according to Magwenya, is where Global South countries can articulate, promote collective economic interests and enhance their collective negotiating capacity.
“This capacity is brought to bear on global issues that are deliberated within the UN system and on the advancement of South-South cooperation for development.
“The President welcomes the opportunity for South Africa to contribute to the Group’s debates, analysis and consensus on the main challenges facing the South,” he added.
UNGA78
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa will lead South Africa’s delegation to the General Debate of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA78) which takes place from 18 to 26 September 2023 in New York, in the United States.
The President will deliver the South Africa statement to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, 19 September 2023.
A number of high-level engagements will precede the address to the UN General Assembly.
These include summits on Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health; Sustainable Development Goals; a High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development; Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response; and Climate Ambition to be hosted by the UN Secretary-General.
Ramaphosa will also lead discussions during the Presidential Roundtable that will hosted by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the US-Africa Business Centre.