Durban - Councillors in the eThekwini Municipality have called on the metro to honour the late IFP leader and prime minister of the Zulu nation Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who died recently.
Buthelezi’s funeral was held on the weekend of September 15 in Ulundi. He died following a short illness.
Addressing councillors during the executive committee meeting on Tuesday, DA leader Thabani Mthethwa said it would be a shame if the province’s only metro was not able to honour the leader who had been honoured by dignitaries from around the world who attended his funeral.
“I would like to know if the municipality will be going to honour Prince Buthelezi. We saw that his funeral was attended by many dignitaries not just from across the country but from all over the world, which showed that he is respected by many people, and it would be a shame if his province and the only metro is not able to do anything,” he said.
NFP leader and deputy mayor Zandile Myeni said Buthelezi was a great leader. “In this council there are three leaders that emerged from under him. The hallmark of a great leader is the one who can produce other leaders.”
IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said as the IFP they were grateful to President Cyril Ramaphosa for according the prince a category 1 funeral, saying that “by according the prince a category 1 funeral, the president has written his own history”.
ANC councillor Thembo Ntuli conveyed his condolences to the IFP and the Buthelezi family for their loss, and said the ANC had previously floated the idea that the prince should be honoured at an event hosted by the municipality.