The late Prince Layukona kaMyayisa Zulu and his daughter, Dr Gcwalisile Zulu-Kabanyane, at the launch of her book in eShowe. Dr Zulu-Kabanyane passed away earlier this week.
Image: Independent Newspapers Archives
The Zulu Royal family is mourning once again following the death of Dr Gcwalisile kaLayukona Zulu-Kabanyane, a revered author, activist, academic, and princess from the KwaZiphethe Royal House.
Princess Gcwalisile was the daughter of the late Prince Gideon Layukona kaMyayisa Zulu, the former KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development. Throughout her distinguished career, she occupied various influential roles across both the public and private sectors.
Prince Thulani kaGqikazi Zulu, speaking on behalf of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, expressed the family’s profound devastation.
"You will remember that the Princess was an author who penned a biography of her father. She also wrote a book on amahubo (traditional hymns) for schools," Prince Thulani said.
"She was a living archive of knowledge, much of which was passed down to her directly by her father. Very few elderly royal family members remain. It is incredibly hard to see them pass away."
Prince Thulani admitted that the rapid succession of deaths within the royal household has deeply worried the family, attributing the tragic streak to a period of relentless misfortune. He expressed deep sympathy for the Zulu King, who has faced an overwhelming number of family bereavements since ascending the throne.
"It is deeply concerning. Since April 18, there has been a funeral almost every single weekend," Prince Thulani noted.
"First was the interment of Prince Gibizizwe, followed the next weekend by Princess Gcinabani Thembisile Zulu of eZibindini. This past weekend, we laid Prince Muziwoxolo to rest."
Princess Gcwalisile kaLayukona Zulu-Kabanyane of KwaZiphethe Royal House who passed away earlier this week in the Western Cape where she spent her last years helping women from informal settlements with poverty alleviation programmes.
Image: Facebook
Taking to social media, Princess Gcwalisile’s son, Luyanda Kabanyane, paid a moving tribute to his mother while requesting privacy for the family during this time of grief. Tributes also poured in from the Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s Paarl Valley Circuit, which remembered the Princess as a dedicated and deeply caring member of their congregation.
Princess Gcwalisile’s impact extended far beyond her royal lineage. An intellectual powerhouse, she earned her doctorate from the University of Toronto in Canada and went on to serve on the boards of major public entities, including the Independent Development Trust (IDT) and the Educators Skills Development Institute.
She was an unwavering champion of micro-business infrastructure, launching vital training initiatives across KwaZulu-Natal designed to empower rural women through traditional skills such as beadwork.
Her tireless philanthropic work gained widespread recognition; in 2011, she received the Inyathelo Award for Philanthropy and was named one of the recipients of the Nedbank Local Heroes Awards for her impactful non-profit organisation, Qolothani Makhosikazi.
She was married to Dr Sidima Kabanyane, a former municipal manager of the Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape who passed away in 2021. The princess spent her last years in Paarl, in the Western Cape, helping women from the nearby informal settlement with poverty alleviation programmes.
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