By Celani Sikhakhane
- The King apologised to Inkosi Malusi Zondi at eMashobeni Royal Palace on Tuesday and scrapped the Royal Chancellor position he was appointed to last year.
- Zondi, who represented the Zulu Monarch at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, will now serve as the King’s representative to hostel dwellers.
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has apologised to his Royal Chancellor and handed him a new, sharply reduced role. Inkosi Malusi Zondi, who was fired last week, is going back to work. Just not to the job he had.
Speaking at Mashobeni Royal Palace on Tuesday, royal spokesperson Prince Thulani Zulu of Zibindini Royal House said the King had phased out the Royal Chancellor position entirely. Zondi will now serve as the King’s representative to hostel dwellers.
“His Majesty will deploy the delegation of the royals to Zondi to officially inform him about his new role which will also be communicated to him,” Prince Thulani said.
The Private Office, which was run by Chief Director Arnold Nododile Ndamase, has also been scrapped. In its place, the King has revived the Secretary’s Office, which will be run by Prince Khishwengubani of eGazini Royal House.
The reshuffle follows a public contradiction that embarrassed the palace. Zulu Prime Minister Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi announced last week that both Zondi and Ndamase had been fired. The King then denied the dismissals. The scrapping of both their positions now makes the point without repeating it.
The two officials had faced allegations of running a money-making scheme through the Private Office, said to be registered as a Non-Profit Company. The King denied those allegations.
Zondi was appointed Royal Chancellor last year to handle international relations for the Zulu Monarch. His office attracted attention after his presentation at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, where the aim was to draw foreign investment into the Zulu Kingdom.
Former royal spokesperson Prince Afrika Zulu of Onkweni, who was also fired, has been redeployed alongside Zondi to the hostel dwellers role.
Pictured above: Inkosi Malusi Zondi, whose Royal Chancellor position has been scrapped, will now serve as the King’s representative to hostel dwellers.
Image source: Zulu Royal Kingdom
