Durban - Following the recognition of Misuzulu KaZwelithini as the king of the Zulu nation by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has been instructed to start paying the new king his monthly salary and benefits.
The directive was given in a letter on Thursday last week by Mashwahle Diphofa, the director-general of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize, the DG of the provincial government.
“This letter serves to notify the Office of the Premier that the President has signed the Certificate and Government Notice for the legal recognition of His Majesty King Misuzulu Sinqobile Zulu as the King of AmaZulu Kingship on 16 March 2022. .. A Government Gazette for the recognition of His Majesty King Misuzulu Zulu Ka Zwelithini has been published and attached is a copy thereof…
“The original Certificate of Recognition will be handed over on a date to be agreed upon by the King, the AmaZulu Royal Family and government... The Department requests the Office of the Premier to provide His Majesty with the applicable salary, allowances, benefits, budget and required tools of trade,” reads the letter.
UPDATE: Despite efforts to stall the coronation of King Misuzulu, COGTA has instructed the KZN government to start paying the new King his R1.2 million and release his annual budget of R66 million. This comes as a royal committee edges closer to setting a coronation date. @IOL
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 22, 2022
Department spokesperson, Lungi Mtshali confirmed that the letter was authentic.
The directive comes as Prince Simakade Zulu, the first born son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, through his legal team, denied that he had declined a nomination for the throne during the now on record meeting of May 14, 2021. He also wants Ramaphosa to release the findings of the Willies Mchunu report on who should take the throne, left vacant by the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini in March last year.
According to salary figures contained in a March 4, 2022 reply by Cogta minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to Dr Petrus Groenewald of Freedom Front Plus, it was revealed Kings get paid R1.2 million a year. That translates to roughly over R100 000 a month before tax and other deductions.
Dlamini-Zuma said fringe benefits of all traditional leaders, including those of kings were provided by their respective provincial governments and her department did not have information on the movable and immovable fringe benefits each province provided to their kings.
It is known that other traditional leaders have been mumbling about the Zulu King, alleging he was getting preferential treatment as the provincial government sets a special budget for him, with the budget of last year being R66 million.
Political Bureau