KwaZulu-Natal - The IFP has rejected complaints about proposed improvements to the palaces of King Goodwill Zwelithini, saying instead that millions more rand should be poured into royal residences to elevate them to the status befitting a king.
The DA, on the other hand, has urged caution and better management of the finances of the Royal Household Department, which caters for the affairs of the king.
Last week, the issue of the king’s palaces created controversy after the department tabled a request for R18 million for the consolidation of the palaces, including the building of a new one for the king’s sixth wife, Queen Zola Mafu.
Earlier this week, the king distanced himself from this request, saying he had not ordered anyone to approach the Treasury and the legislature on the issue.
The dispute triggered debate over the cost of the king’s palaces, but the IFP said on Wednesday that it was an insult to suggest that channelling funds to the king should be regarded as a waste of taxpayers’ money.
The leader of the IFP in the legislature Blessed Gwala, said his party was surprised that the people who claimed to support the monarchy or traditional leadership were the ones who kept on attacking the institution and complained about the expenses that it incurred.
He said his party believed that the status of the royal palaces had deteriorated in the past 15 years.
“The present status is not befitting of the king, which degrades not only the monarchy but the Zulu nation and the government of the day,” said Gwala.
“In order to take the status of the king back to its acceptable state, a lot of funds must be injected into projects benefiting the king, or the budget should be increased.”
The IFP called on the government to do more to improve the royal palaces and other assets belonging to the king.
Gwala added: “The IFP sees no problem when the department responsible for the royal household is requesting assistance from Treasury to improve royal palaces and the standard of living of the king, taking into account that there are plenty of other irrelevant projects that other departments are allowed to pump millions of rand into.”
The DA said that the controversy over the issue had highlighted the lack of communication that existed between officials in the Office of the Premier and the Royal Household Department.
The DA spokesman on royal affairs Radley Keys, said funding was set aside for the royal household each year.
“How this money is spent depends on the Royal Household Department and the premier,” he said.
“The requirements of the legislature are simple – departments must stick within their budgets.
“Historically, the Royal Household Department is not associated with thrift, with years of overspending.”
Keys said the department had debts of R3.8m, which were being paid off in instalments over three years.
The DA believed that last week’s call for further funding should be investigated.
“Given the pressing service delivery challenges in the province, KZN can ill afford to abide by the department’s request to spend more than has been budgeted,” said Keys.
“The DA expects the premier to beef up communications in his office and for the chairperson of the royal household portfolio committee to get in touch with what is happening on the ground.”
The head of the department, Nhlanhla Ngidi, has conceded that the king had “nothing to do” with the request for funds last week.
Ngidi said it was one of the duties of the department to take care of the upkeep of royal palaces. - The Mercury