Royal news: Zulu prime minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi hospitalised

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who has served three Zulu Kings as traditional prime minister since 1954, has been hospitalised on Monday, 24 July.

In a statement confirming that the 94-year-old prince of KwaPhindangene had been hospitalised, Buthelezi’s spokesperson, Liezl van der Merwe, however, dismissed rumours that he is in a critical condition.

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi hospitalised

“Prince Buthelezi was admitted for routine tests and treatment for prolonged back pain. He underwent a small procedure for back pain management. Although he was discharged, he unfortunately needed to be readmitted for further treatment and recovery,” read the statement.

According to IOL, sources close to the royal family claimed Buthelezi was critically ill and was apparently unable to talk properly.

Next month, Buthelezi, who was born on 27 August 1928, will turn 95. The nonagenarian beat COVID-19 in August 2020, a week before his 92nd birthday.

Royal rift of no return between Buthelezi and Zulu king?

Recently, reports have been hinting at a deepening royal rift between the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) founder and Zulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

This after the amaZulu prime minister released a press statement earlier in July in which he said the king was being treated in a hospital in Eswatini after an apparent “poisoning” attempt.

According to the statement, Buthelezi claimed that the king felt unwell after one of his izinduna (traditional leaders) died mysteriously.

“While His Majesty recently appointed Prince Africa Zulu as head of communication and stakeholder relations in his office, I, as the traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation have an obligation to inform the nation of this worrying situation,” Buthelezi said in his statement.

The Zulu king, in return, denied that he was unwell and urged people to not believe everything they read on social media.

ALSO READ: ‘Kings are not voted for or picked,’ says Mangosuthu Buthelezi

Shortly thereafter, the king’s spokesperson, Prince Africa Zulu of the Onkweni Royal Palace, had to put out fires that Misuzulu was planning on relieving Buthelezi of his duties.

Prince Afrika Zulu dismissed the tweet which surfaced as fake news and told The Witness that it was part of a campaign to divide the Zulu Royal Family.

“Clearly, this is the work of dark forces aimed at sowing seeds of divisions and to create an environment of mistrust,” the king’s spokesperson said.

Speculations of growing friction between the prime minister and Zulu king can, however, be traced back as far as May this year when King Misizulu appointed Prince Thanduyise Mzimela as chair of the Ingonyama Trust Board.

According to reports, Buthelezi was reportedly in favour of the reinstatement of long-time chair Judge Jerome Ngwenya.

ALSO READ: Amakhosi don’t recognise new Ingonyama board

‘It’s news to us’

Prince Afrika Zulu told IOL that the king had not been informed of his traditional prime minister’s hospitalisation, but that His Majesty wished Buthelezi a speedy recovery.

“It is news to us that the king’s prime minister is ill, but nevertheless His Majesty wishes His Royal Highness a speedy recovery.”