KING Zwelithini and King Misuzulu’s praise singer Buzetsheni Mdletshe has published a book about the relationship between his clan and the Zulu royal house.
Mdletshe told Daily Sun that his book, titled Inyosi, will educate people about the history of the royal house and the Mdletshe clan.
Mdletshe, who first became the late king’s praise singer when he was 19 in 1974, said the relationship between his clan and the royal house started during Shaka’s reign when Ngomane Mdletshe was loyal to the king.
The 67-year-old said: “I realised that people need to know about the history of the Mdletshes, who were heroes. In this book, I start with the reign of Shaka.”
Mdletshe said thanks to his loyalty, King Shaka appointed Ngomane as the traditional prime minister.
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“Unfortunately, King Dingane didn’t like the Mdletshes and there is evidence that he killed Ngomane’s son after the War of Gongqo.
“In 1840, during the reign of King Mpande, Mfusi Mdletshe was a loyalist and the king gave him a piece of land in Nhlwathi, northern KZN.”
Mdletshe said it only took him two days to write the book and the KZN Department of Arts and Culture helped him publish it.
“I still have more history to publish and I hope the department will help me again to tell the important story of the Zulu royal house,” he said.
Mdletshe said King Cetshwayo reigned with the help of Msushwana Mdletshe and the two men were the same age.
“When King Cetshwayo was arrested and started getting ill, he asked the nation to protect his son King Dinuzulu. My grandfather was one of the people who protected the king and hid himself in the bush with him for two years,” he said.
“My father Nogotshwa Mdletshe played a big role during the reigns of King Bhekuzulu and King Zwelithini.”
