IFP backs AmaZulu king Misuzulu's campaign to rename KwaZulu-Natal
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini advocates for the renaming of KwaZulu-Natal, receiving strong support from the IFP during the 147th commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana.
Image: Sigciniwe
THE AmaZulu king’s initiative to remove "Natal" from the name KwaZulu-Natal has garnered the backing of the leading party in the Government of Provincial Unity, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
During the 147th commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana last week, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini announced his intention to launch a campaign aimed at renaming the province to simply KwaZulu, which translates to "the place of Zulus."
However, the king's proposal has sparked criticism, with cultural and political analysts warning that eliminating "Natal" could elevate one cultural community over others, potentially undermining unity and social cohesion.
In contrast, the IFP within the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature has expressed its full endorsement of the renaming initiative. The party applauded the king's call, describing it as both "timely and historically justified."
In a statement released by the party’s chief whip, Blessed Gwala, on Wednesday, the IFP expressed that it felt "vindicated by His Majesty’s position."
Gwala noted that the discussions surrounding the renaming of provinces, particularly Natal, were well-documented during the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) negotiations in the early 1990s.
“We do not find anything sinister in the King’s proposal, as history tells us—and it is well known—that in the past, during the reign of King Shaka, who ruled over many tribes, the boundaries of KwaZulu extended as far as the uMtamvuna River in the Eastern Cape, Balfour in Gauteng, and Ermelo in Mpumalanga."
"The demarcation resulted in the loss of many parts of KwaZulu, which were placed under other provinces. This proposal, therefore, comes as no surprise and is neither unreasonable nor uncalled for,” the statement read.
Gwala, who also serves as the IFP’s national chairperson, emphasised that his party has consistently advocated for the recognition of KwaZulu in acknowledgment of the Zulu Kingdom and its profound historical, cultural, and political significance.
“The current name remains a compromise that failed to fully reflect this reality. We further believe that His Majesty’s call opens the door to addressing other long-standing historical distortions, particularly the matter of Pietermaritzburg, which is referred to as uMgungundlovu."
It is a well-known fact that uMgungundlovu was King Dingane’s royal palace near Ulundi, which was destroyed, after which the Voortrekkers named Pietermaritzburg a 'fake' uMgungundlovu with the deliberate intention of mocking and ridiculing the Zulu people,” the statement concluded.