Africa-Press – South-Africa. Nongoma – Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the Zulu nation and king’s traditional prime minister, has hit back at Princess Thembi Ndlovu (nee Zulu), Prince Mbonisi Zulu and Prince Thokozani Zulu after they claimed he is dictatorial, hence their decision to exclude him during their “unauthorised meetings“.
In a written response to Independent Media late on Sunday after he was asked to comment on accusations from the trio that he was imposing his people on the Zulu throne – among other accusations – Buthelezi fired back broadly.
For Mbonisi and Thokozani, Buthelezi said they were born out of wedlock, even saying the latter has always been known as a Msweli while Mbonisi should be grateful he was given royal roles despite his birth status.
Furthermore, Buthelezi said it was untrue that he imposed Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu on them. He said the late King Goodwill Zwelithini appointed her.
“Perhaps most distressing of all is the claim that Her Majesty the Regent was somehow shoved down their throats. His Majesty the King appointed Her Majesty as Regent. If they have a quarrel, it is with the King himself,” he said.
Buthelezi said he justified the spilling of these royal secrets by saying he wanted to show that the trio was not executing a royal mandate, but their own.
“I state these facts to clarify that they are not in any way speaking on behalf of the Zulu Royal Family. They are speaking on their own behalf. Moreover, what they are saying is deeply disrespectful to the Royal Family, to the late Regent and to the late King, for whom we are still in mourning.”
Buthelezi poured scorn on Princess Thembi’s allegations that he was stifling royal debates, saying at some point, during a royal meeting, he asked the princess to pour her heart out – and she did – with him later giving her a pat on the back.
“Her allegation that I am some sort of dictator who shoots people down when they have a view which with I disagree, is quite outlandish. I really challenge her to quote a single instance in which I shot anyone down during a family meeting,” Buthelezi said.
A livid Buthelezi said the senior princess is married (to a Ndlovu) and has no right to drive royal affairs as she is doing.
LATE UPDATE: Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the Zulu nation’s traditional prime minister has hit back at Princess Thembi, Prince Mbonisi and Prince Thokozani afte they claimed he is dictatorial, hence their decision to exclude him in their meetings. He said the princess is married
“Princess Thembi, as a sister of the late King, has every right to participate in family matters. But, as a married woman, she has no status to drive programmes in the manner she is now doing,” Buthelezi lashed out.
On the separate but burning issue of the alleged poisoning of the late queen which the three during the press conference said it was being implied they were behind the evil act, Buthelezi said his statement was taken out of context and it was never claimed she was poisoned.
“The cause of Her Majesty’s death is yet to be revealed. Her doctors ordered a post mortem, which has been done, and the results will be known in two weeks’ time. I would never speculate, and indeed I did not speculate on the cause of death.”
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