DESPITE the murder of Prince Mbongiseni Zulu of the Zulu royal family, the Shembe Church went ahead with its Sabbath and Umgidi events.
King Misuzulu briefly attended the Sabbath prayer service on Saturday, 26 November but he was not at the Umgidi event the following day. The king was expected at the Umgidi event at Enyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma, northern KZN, which he attended last year , and many people were disappointed that he wasn’t there.
There were beating of drums and blowing of horns as Shembe members from the Ebuhleni faction arrived for the ninth annual Umgidi event. Sources inside the royal house told Daily Sun the king was fearing for his life as three of his loyalists have been killed since September.
“On Saturday, he briefly attended the Sabbath because of security fears following the murder on Thursday. He didn’t deliver a speech,” a source said.
Another source said the king cancelled a planned trip to Cape Town.
He had been invited by Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.
“Security discussions with provincial officials dragged and the trip was cancelled,” said the source.
But the king’s spokesman Prince Thulani Zulu denied that he feared for his life. He said the king did not attend the event on Sunday because he was in mourning for Prince Mbongiseni Zulu.
“The king briefly attended the Sabbath on Saturday because the church was visiting him. He didn’t give a speech because he is still in mourning,” he said.
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Ebuhleni faction leader Inkosi Unyazi Shembe used the visit to the royal palace to encourage men to stop abusing women and kids.
“Men must learn to move on with their lives when they break up with their partners instead of abusing and killing them,” he said.
