By Celani Sikhakhane
- KZN government wants British royals to help make the Zulu kingdom financially independent.
- King Misuzulu says he’ll step down from the Ingonyama Trust board role but wants the whole board replaced first.
The KwaZulu-Natal government is turning to the British royal family to help the Zulu kingdom make more money.
Some of the exercises they plan include tapping into the rich Zulu culture and tourism to bolster the Royal Household Trust.
This would be similar to crowds of international tourists that are often seen visiting Buckingham Palace.
Such visits are said to be bringing in millions of pounds for the British royalty.
The Zulu royal house has already spent 70% of its yearly R70-million budget with six months still to go.
KZN Finance MEC Francois Rodgers met with King Misuzulu kaZwelithini last weekend to discuss plans for making the kingdom less dependent on taxpayers’ money.
Rodgers’ spokesman Nkosikhona Duma said they talked about working with the British royals to boost tourism.
“The discussion is expected to be advanced at a meeting which is scheduled between MEC Rodgers and the British High Commission soon,” said Duma.
The push for new income comes after reports that the royal office wasted R500,000 on a failed food shop business plan.
Rodgers now wants to help the king start a cattle farming business.
“The business plans were part of the provincial Treasury’s efforts to ensure that the King was financially independent instead of relying on the state,” said Duma.
Meanwhile, King Misuzulu is willing to quit as head of the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) which controls nearly a third of KZN’s land – but only if the current board goes too.
Land Reform Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso told parliament: “He is ready to resign as chairperson, but he will never work with this board again.”
The king has missed two deadlines to present the board’s yearly report to parliament since naming himself chairman in February.
The board’s deputy chair, Advocate Linda Zama, seemed surprised by the tension. “We don’t know what the details are… We’re just doing our work, and the reality is that our work is regulated,” she said.
Pictured above: MEC for Finance in KwaZulu-Natal Francois Rodgers with King Misuzulu kaZwelithini during their meeting on Saturday.
Source: Supplied
