King Misuzulu took only 15 minutes to deliver his address at the opening of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. | WILLEM PHUNGULA/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — Opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal have reiterated their calls to hold both the king’s official opening of the legislature and the State of the Province Address (SOPA) on the same day after King Misuzulu delivered his address, which lasted only 15 minutes, on Tuesday.
The king surprised most when he delivered the shortest address since 2005. Opposition parties lamented the wasting of limited state resources, reiterating calls for the two events to be held in one day.
Leading the crusade was ActionSA provincial leader and premier candidate Zwakele Mncwango, who said it was a total waste of time and money.
He urged the new provincial cabinet to reconsider holding the two events separately after the elections.
Mncwango said there was no justification to spend R3 million of taxpayers’ money on a 15-minute gathering.
“The premier could have delivered her State of the Province Address after lunch. There is no justification for continuing to hold this event in its current form. R3 million in taxpayers’ money has gone down the drain.”
Joining the call was DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers, who said his party had been calling for this for years to save on state resources. The DA welcomed the king’s speech, especially the issuing of a royal decree to end violence, but was disappointed that the king did not give full details on how the Ingonyama Trust would benefit the rural communities, he said.
The EFF said what the king did vindicated the party’s long-standing call that there was no logic in holding the two events separately.
ANC provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma said the opposition’s call was opportunistic and electioneering, but the ANC would assess whether it was necessary to continue holding two events separately given the economic climate. The decision must be taken after consultation with the royal family and the king, Duma said.
However, the call was quickly dismissed by the IFP and the king’s traditional prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, who reminded the opposition that the king was the monarch of the province, and therefore such a move would undermine the king and the crown.
Buthelezi said the day was dedicated to the king and should remain as his day. The IFP, as the leader of the opposition in the legislature, said this would be practically impossible since in terms of African traditions no one speaks after the king.
Party leader in the legislature, Blessed Gwala, said such a move would render the king’s official opening of the legislature useless since the media would prioritise the premier’s address.
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province that has two openings of the legislature, with one dedicated to the king and the premier delivering the State of the Province Address the following day.
Although King Misuzulu holds the title of the provincial king, the title remains ceremonial with no executive authority over the province.
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