PICS: Toya Delazy sheds tears for mkhulu Buthelezi

LONDON-based musician Latoya "Toya Delazy" Buthelezi could not hold back her tears as the coffin of her mkhulu Prince Mangosuthu was brought home from the mortuary in Ulundi, KZN on Friday, 15 September.

She was among the Buthelezi family members who took the coffin from the mortuary to the hearse to take it home from Ulundi CBD. She was comforted by other Buthelezi grandchildren.

The amabutho, who turned out in large numbers, sang Zulu hymns, including the new Zulu hymn that says: "The traditional minister is no more, and life will be difficult", while IFP members sang struggle songs.

The Buthelezi family was led by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s son, Prince Zuzifa Buthelezi, who held his father’s chieftaincy baton together with the regent of the Buthelezi clan, Mpiyakhe Buthelezi.

Prince Mangosuthu’s son Prince Zuzifa Buthelezi and the Buthelezi clan regent. Photo by Jabulani Langa

Toya Delazy (wearing sunglasses and a doek) was comforted by other grandchildren as they were taking their grandfather’s coffin home from the mortuary. Photo by Jabulani Langa

Amabutho when they were taking the coffin home. Photo by Jabulani Langa

IFP members were taking the coffin home. Photo by Jabulani Langa

ALSO READ: Toya Delazy home for mkhulu Buthelezi's funeral!

Prince Buthelezi, traditional Zulu monarch prime minister, founder of the IFP and inkosi of the Buthelezi clan, died at his home in Ulundi on Saturday, 9 September.

He will be buried on Saturday, 16 September, after the official category one state funeral at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Regional Stadium, which is expected to be attended by a large number of people.

Amabutho leader induna Sipho Mhlongo told Daily Sun that amabutho are travelling from all over KZN and Gauteng to bid farewell to their leader Prince Buthelezi as the traditional prime minister of the Zulu monarch.

"Prince Buthelezi was too close to amabutho and amabutho were too close to him as a fighter for the Zulu nation.

"We hope that nothing will change because he is no longer there because he united amabutho with his position," he said.

Prince Zuzifa said he was comforted that members of amabutho and the IFP had come in such numbers to bid farewell to his father.

Buthelezi clan regent Mpiyakhe Buthelezi said Buthelezi’s body will rest at his home on Friday night.

"On Saturday morning, amabutho will take the body and hand it over to the military for an official state funeral at the stadium. After the funeral service, the military will hand over the body to amabutho and the family will bury him in the Buthelezi clan way," he said.