Durban - It’s the British government rather than the British royals that should be held accountable for the destruction of the Zulu nation, including the burning down of Ondini Palace more than a century ago, said historian Professor Jabulani Maphalala.
He and another historian, Professor Albert Ntuli, were reacting to an article in The Mercury on Wednesday, which reported on King Goodwill Zwelithini’s suggestion that compensation be paid for the destruction of his great-grandfather Cetshwayo’s palace on July 4, 1879.
“It is the British government who should pay because at the time the monarch had been stripped of political power,” said Maphalala.
Speaking at the sod-turning of the Isandlwana Heritage Village in Nquthu on Tuesday, the king said although he would be pleased if one day the British royals rebuilt the palace, he was not their enemy.
Maphalala, a history lecturer for 20 years at the University of Zululand, said it was not the British royal family that had instructed the British army to attack Ondini Palace and destroy the Zulu army.
Maphalala said the British monarchy had lost political power after King Charles I had been beheaded in 1649.
The king had been found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. He was executed on January 30, 1649.
Maphalala said the compensation should not be limited strictly to the damaged palace, as there were many other atrocities perpetrated against the Zulu nation by the British army.
“Many cattle were stolen and given to white people. There were also many people who were killed without provocation.
The British even killed injured people and burnt them alive. They burnt down many homesteads.
“The British government should compensate, as it has done in Kenya for killing people during the Mau Mau uprising,” he said.
Ntuli, the director of the Durban-based Abangoni Cultural and Skills Development Organisation of South Africa, said the king should demand compensation rather than plead for it.
He also said Zulus should not be expected to forget what happened to them a century ago. “The king is right. In fact, some people should be discussing this matter with the king in order to plan how to launch the claim,” said Ntuli.
“Even the fact that English people made blacks or Zulus fight and kill each other should be discussed.”
The British High Commission’s spokeswoman, Isabel Potgieter, referred the question to Buckingham Palace in London. Buckingham Palace has been contacted by The Mercury but had yet to respond at time of publication.
The Mercury