Nongoma — The Zulu nation's traditional prime minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has rejected calls for former president Jacob Zuma to mediate in the continuing kingship dispute.
Giving the last update on the readiness of the much-anticipated kraal entering ceremony by King Misuzulu, on Friday evening, Buthelezi said he did not believe the former president would help mend divisions in the royal family since he has his own myriad of problems.
He added that he had noted the calls by the National Freedom Party (NFP), which called on him and Zuma to come together but doubted Zuma himself would accept the call since he had too much on his plate.
The Prince of KwaPhindangene added that he had been informed by the royal family members that JG Zuma Foundation chairperson Dudu Myeni was at KwaKhangelamankengane palace on Thursday but did not know what she had come for, adding that the king’s spokesperson Prince Thulani attended to her.
During the week the NFP had urged both former president Jacob Zuma and Prince Buthelezi as the province's elder statesmen to rise to the occasion and resolve the continuing kingship dispute which the party said was confusion among Zulus.
Besides rejecting Zuma's mediation, Buthelezi conceded that the dispute was an unprecedented one where three princes would fight for the kingship throne, adding that it had turned the Zulu royal family into a laughing stock.
Buthelezi's comment followed the unveiling of another late King Zwelithini's son Prince Buzabani as the third king on Thursday.
Prince Buzabani, who is from KwaDlamahlahla palace, is the third son of the late king and his second wife queen Buhle Mathe. He was unveiled in Johannesburg by the faction led by Prince Mbonisi Zulu who is the late king's half-brother.
Zuma's foundation, which also speaks for him, and the NFP had not yet responded to the royal family's rejection of his mediation.
Daily News