Durban - Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, traditional prime minister to the Zulu nation and monarch, says he will not apologise for comments he made regarding what the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu had said about him when he served as the Chief Minister of KwaZulu.
Buthelezi said in a statement that he wanted to clarify what he called “fabrications” being spread by Prince Mbonisi.
The three surviving blood brothers of the late king and members of the royal council, Prince Vulindlela, Prince Mbonisi and Prince Mathuba Zulu held a media briefing last week to raise issues regarding the Zulu royal family and the succession matter.
At the briefing, Prince Mbonisi stated that they were still upset about a particular remark made by Buthelezi about the late king shortly after his passing.
Explaining what the late king said to him, Buthelezi said: “Before His Majesty passed away, His Majesty made mention that while I was the Chief Minister of KwaZulu, he felt that I did not do enough to protect him. We had agreed to meet to discuss this matter, but never had the opportunity to do so before his passing.”
Buthelezi said that when mourners gathered at KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace after the late king’s passing, he said to those present that he did not hold any grudges against the king for the comments he made before his passing, and that he wished him well on his journey, as he now transitioned.
“I repeated this at the gate of KwaKhethomthandayo in front of amakhosi, and other members of the royal family. This was done in accordance with my Christian faith and my customs. I am therefore not apologetic for these comments and will not be apologising for them at any point,” he said.
He added that Prince Mbonisi also appeared to suggest that he had accused them of being responsible for Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu’s passing.
“I have clarified this matter but for his benefit, I will do so once more. It was the late King Goodwill Zwelithini himself who at one stage, when Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu fell ill, had indicated outside of KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace that she had been poisoned. He did so in full view of the media, and more than 100 other individuals that had gathered there. It is a matter of public record.
“I wish to once more make a sincere appeal to Prince Mbonisi to desist from this malicious feud he is waging in an attempt to divide the royal family and the Zulu nation.
“King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is the rightful heir to the throne. Let us afford him his birth right and support him and his Kingship,” he said.