Durban - Despite not being initially invited to speak or introduce King Misuzulu during his official meeting with Deputy President David Mabuza, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi eventually got the platform.
According to an official order of proceedings sent to invited parties on Wednesday night, Buthelezi was not included at all.
Instead, the king was to be introduced in a routine way by the Acting Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Nomagugu Simelane.
Thereafter, Mabuza would speak and the king given a platform to respond to the remarks and mark the end of the programme.
That would have been contrary to established protocol where Buthelezi in his capacity as the traditional prime minister of the monarch and the Zulu nation, always makes remarks and introduces the king to speak.
IOL learnt from royal sources that although Buthelezi showed up on Thursday and was included, in the first place when this meeting was planned, he was not invited at all.
It was only after the king reportedly queried his absence and then invited him to be present at the meeting which was part of the preparations for his coronation in Durban on October 29.
PICS: This is the government’s official programme for the meeting of Dep Pres, David Mabuza with King Misuzulu. Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is not included as dictated by the strict royal protocol. He has to introduce the King and that is not done by anyone else in his presence. pic.twitter.com/6D7ZwD2DNt
Introducing the king, Buthelezi himself said he was invited to the meeting by the king.
“His Majesty our King has invited me to be present for this meeting, not only because I serve as the traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation, but because I have championed the institution of traditional leadership for almost seven decades, since I took up my own position as Inkosi of the Buthelezi Clan,” Buthelezi said.
Furthermore, Buthelezi said although traditional leaders were custodians of culture, they had been given a ceremonial role by the government.
“Tragically, however, the institution of traditional leadership has not been given its rightful place within our democratic society.
“In many ways, traditional leaders have had their hands tied that no matter how visionary their leadership or how viable their solutions, implementation is just not possible.
“The worst culprit is the lack of funding to traditional councils and the absence of a budget for traditional houses,” he said.
He added that the lack of legislation in this regard had complicated matters.
“The fellow culprit is the continued absence of a single piece of legislation in which the role, powers and functions of traditional leaders are defined.
BREAKING NEWS: Ructions in the Zulu monarch after Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was elbowed out of today's official programme of deputy president, David Mabuza's visit to King Misuzulu in Nongoma. Initially, Buthelezi, the traditional prime minister of the monarch and the
“Indeed, the role, powers and functions of traditional leaders continue to overlap with those of municipal councils, and legislation is such that the municipal council takes precedence.
“As much as we would like to say that there is a partnership between traditional leaders and municipalities, this is simply not the case.
“In some municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, the institution of traditional leadership is respected and there is engagement with traditional leaders. But the reality is that legislation demands very little of municipal councils as regards their interaction with traditional leaders.”
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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