Durban — Cultural analysts have warned against appointing a politician again to the position of Zulu traditional prime minister.
The analysts were weighing in on the raging debate about who will succeed the late Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi as new King Misuzulu’s traditional prime minister.
Both University of KwaZulu-Natal professor Sihawu Ngubane and African culturalist professor Jabulani Maphalala said it was the king’s prerogative to appoint anyone to the position. For the sake of unity, the king should avoid appointing a politician to the position, they warned.
Maphalala said Buthelezi’s tenure was marred not only by the division within the royal family but also by the Zulu nation because of his political activities.
He cited his acrimonious battle with the late Prince Mcwayizeni Zulu, who was in “a cat and mouse” situation with Buthelezi. Their battle was based more on their political differences than on cultural matters, he said.
Prince Mcwayizeni Zulu was an ANC member and elected to the National Executive Committee when the ANC held its first elective conference in South Africa in 1991 after it was unbanned.
Prince Mcwayizeni Zulu was also a regent after the death of his brother, Cyprian Bhekuzulu, father of the late Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini.
Prince Mcwayizeni Zulu had a problem with Buthelezi’s apparent stranglehold on the royal family and the king, and many believed their political ideologies worsened the relations and divided the royal family along political lines.
Prince Mcwayizeni Zulu reportedly regarded Buthelezi as the nephew who wanted to control the bona fide royal family members. This view is also shared by the royal faction currently opposed to the appointment of King Misuzulu to the throne. In its court papers, the faction that supported Prince Simakade to be the king argued that the meeting where King Misuzulu was appointed as king was illegal because not everyone was a royal family member.
Another example of an event that Maphalala cited as the cause of divisions among the Zulu nation, was in the early 1990s when Buthelezi apparently used his political powers to openly defy King Good Zwelithini when he (Buthelezi) continued with King Shaka’s celebration after the king had announced its postponement.
He said this particular action divided the nation and people were confused about who was the king between him and King Good Zwelithini. Maphalala said it was believed that the people who attended were mainly Zulus aligned with Buthelezi’s party, the IFP.
“History has shown us that this position should not be occupied by a politician. It is not advisable for the king to appoint a politician again. This position needs someone who will be acceptable to all political parties and the people in general for the nation’s unity.
“It should not be a person who will have political influence over the king as we have seen with the late Prince Buthelezi calling a meeting with amakhosi and addressing them on matters of the crown. Only the king has the authority to call amakhosi into a meeting, not his prime minister,” said Maphalala.
Professor Ngubane shared Maphalala’s sentiments, saying the problem with the position is that it is not formalised. He said this makes it difficult for one to prescribe what kind of a person qualifies for the appointment, but appointing a politician had proven to be divisive.
Ngubane said it would be advisable for the king to consult extensively with the elders and heads of the royal houses before making a decision. He added that the person to occupy the position of the Zulu Traditional Prime Minister should be older than the king so that he could also use his age to guide the king.
King Misuzulu’s spokesperson Prince Africa Zulu of Onkweni said there was no reason for the debate since the king and the nation were still mourning the death of the traditional prime minister.
He urged people to allow the king to mourn the passing of his prime minister and to also thoroughly apply his mind to the appointment.
Weekend newspapers reported that among the names that have been bandied was ANC national executive committee member Dr Zweli Mkhize.
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