King Misuzulu orders an end to political killings
DURBAN - AmaZulu King Misuzulu has issued a royal order to all parties to end political killings that are continuing unabated in KwaZulu-Natal.
In the shortest speech ever delivered by the king, His Majesty issued what he called a royal decree ordering all parties to ensure that there were no more killings of politicians and amakhosi in the province.
The king also ordered parties contesting the much-anticipated general elections to campaign peacefully and exercise maximum tolerance.
“The Zulu nation is internationally renowned for its respect and ubuntu. I therefore appeal for peace and tolerance between all political parties campaigning in this year’s elections. The killing of councillors must stop immediately forthwith. All this bloodshed must stop now and that is the royal order I am issuing today (Monday),” said the king.
In terms of African traditions, the king’s word is final and no one dares to disobey him.
The king also ordered law enforcement agencies to arrest, prosecute and incarcerate all the criminals whom he said were giving his beautiful province a bad name.
The king also took an opportunity to introduce his traditional prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, and his deputy, inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza.
He said he appointed them because of their experience in royal matters, having worked under his late father King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died in 2021.
The king also touched on the changes he had recently made in the Ingonyama Trust Board, where he removed inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela as the chairperson of the board.
The king also announced the unveiling of the late King Zwelithini’s statues in Ulundi and the provincial legislature.
The king thanked the provincial government, royal family, amakhosi and the Zulu nation for the support given to him since taking over the throne.
On a lighter note, he concluded his speech by endorsing former Ukhozi FM personality Ngizwe Mchunu as the president of amabhinca (traditionalists), calling on the commander of Amabutho, Prince Vanana, to incorporate amabhinca as one of the regiments under their leadership.
Reacting to the king’s speech, all political parties hailed the king for issuing a royal decree to end the killings of politicians and traditional leaders. Parties pledged to go out to their respective supporters to ensure that they obeyed the king’s orders.
The killing of politicians, in particular councillors, prompted an intervention from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who immediately after taking over the Presidency in 2018 appointed a ministerial committee led by Police Minister Bheki Cele to deal with the killings.
The Police Ministry assembled a specialised team of top detectives. So far the team does not appear to be winning this war as the blood of politicians continues to flow. The province continues to be a headache for police and the government because of the continued bloodshed.
Besides the slaughter of politicians and traditional leaders, the province has seen a bloodbath of mass killings.
Police crime statistics have declared the province as a crime capital, with police stations such as Umlazi, Inanda and Plessislaer in Pietermaritzburg being in the top 10 in the country.