ZULU king, Misuzulu kaZwelithini, will not be coronated on 13 August.
This is because he communicated directly with President Cyril Ramaphosa behind prime minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s back.
That was revealed by the angry Buthelezi in the royal mass meeting where King Misuzulu was summoned to come and explained why he communicated directly with the president instead of using his traditional prime minister.
The meeting was held at Ulundi Old Legislature Building in Ulundi, northern KZN, on Friday, 29 July.
Buthelezi said he refused to announce 13 August as the king’s coronation date to the nation and to the royal family because it was agreed on behind their backs.
Before the media was kicked out of the meeting, Buthelezi said he was the one who was communicating with the president about the coronation of King Misuzulu.
He said he was surprised when the president communicated directly with King Misuzulu.
“It, therefore, created an unanticipated problem when King Misuzulu suddenly wrote a letter to me stating that he had corresponded with President Ramaphosa himself, and that they had agreed on the date of 13 August for the handing over of the certificate.
“The king then instructed me to announce this date. But I apologised to the king that I was unable to do so, for I knew that I would create further confusion as the royal family knew nothing about the date or the venue of his installation.
“It would seem to the royal house that the president himself had fixed a date without regarding the royal family and the nation,” he said.
Buthelezi pleaded with King Misuzulu that they should rather have a meeting of the royal family where this could be discussed so that together, as the royal family, they could plan the way forward.
“While this was still being discussed, the king wrote me another letter and ordered me to write a letter to the president suggesting that he choose either 17 September or 1 October as the date on which he would hand over the certificate.
“I maintained my plea to the king that it would be much better if in a meeting of the royal family he can announce, in my presence, his intention that I should inform the president and find out whether the president will be available on either of the two dates,” he said.
Buthelezi added that the royal family and the king appreciated the manner in which the media handled the royal succession and that they have been transparent from the start.
“There is no intention to become secretive now. But this meeting is private. We need space to discuss privately and clarify exactly what the next step should be.
“If any agreement is reached on the dates proposed by his majesty for presenting to the president, I will still need to approach the president to determine whether either of the dates are suitable for him,” he said.
Insiders said Buthelezi is not a happy man after the incident. Many people believe this took away his powers as a traditional prime minister.
