Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi in a one-on-one interview with Star reporter Itumeleng Mafisa at the Edward Hotel in Durban Picture: Shelley Kjonstad/African News Agency (ANA).
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has come out to clarify that his now-disputed statement regarding the health of the Zulu King, Misuzulu Ka Zwelithini was not meant to cause any divisions or harm.
Buthelezi says the statement over the weekend was not issued out of malice as it may be suggested or appear.
His latest statement on Tuesday comes after Prince Africa Zulu, the new spokesperson of the King, issued a rebuttal, denying everything and even getting the King to issue a denial through a video released late on Monday.
Buthelezi said he does not want to dwell much on the conduct of Prince Africa during the recording of the video, but to set the record.
“It goes without saying that the subject of His Majesty’s health is always a sensitive matter.
JUST IN: Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has fired back at Prince Africa Zulu, the new spokesperson for King Misuzulu KaZwelithini. Buthelezi says the King was indeed treated in Eswatini and the doctors that attended him are known. He also said it was Prince Africa who asked that pic.twitter.com/qqPttX56Lf
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 4, 2023
“However, in light of the media and public spectacle that has transpired since my announcement, and the fact that I have been accused of harbouring an agenda and having orchestrated bad news, I must set the record straight.
“His Majesty received medical attention at eZulwini Private Hospital on Saturday, 1 July, and the doctors who attended to him are known.
“What Prince Africa is not telling the Nation is that he approached the Swazis - in particular HRH Prince Vumile - asking them to assist so that His Majesty could leave KwaZulu-Natal at night, to urgently seek medical attention in eSwatini.
“The assertion by Prince Africa that His Majesty is in eSwatini to visit his uncle, His Majesty King Mswati III, is a blatant lie. His Majesty King Mswati III was not in eSwatini when His Majesty arrived, nor has he returned,” Buthelezi said in his statement.
Furthermore, he denied that there is a tiff between him and the King.
“Furthermore, I wish to clarify the constant speculation that there is a rift between myself and His Majesty the King, and that I acted in malice by making the announcement about his health.
“Like any other family, there will be disagreements on matters from time to time. That is normal. But there is certainly no growing rift between myself and His Majesty. As a Nation, our King’s health and wellbeing should always be our main concern. I communicated the news about His Majesty having taken ill without embellishment or ill-will. This is also not without precedent. When our late King was hospitalised, I meticulously and regularly kept the Nation updated,” he said.
Buthelezi also shot down the deployment of Dr Zweli Mkhize by the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal to mediate between him and the King.
Mkhize’s deployment was announced by the ANC in the province on Monday.
“Why then must a political party now seek to mediate a non-existing feud, when the Royal Family can resolve its own internal matters, if such matters arise? And why do matters of the Ingonyama Trust arise now?
“Such conflation of issues is rather malicious. I have been at pains throughout my career to separate politics from traditional matters.It is therefore painful to see politics at play now."
“ What is even more hurtful, is that I am now being projected by my detractors as an enemy of the Zulu Nation and our King. I continue to serve at His Majesty’s behest, as I have done for almost seven decades under two Kings before him.”
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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