Zulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini Zulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini. File Picture: Sihle Mavuso/IOL
Durban - Zulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini and Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu monarch and nation Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi are set to meet today to discuss issues related to the leadership of the Ingonyama Trust board (ITB).
The meeting, which will take place at an undisclosed venue, comes after contrasting messages that have played out in the public domain recently regarding the chairperson of the ITB.
It was suggested in reports that Jerome Ngwenya had been removed as ITB chairperson and replaced by Inkosi Mzimela.
However Ngwenya, the long-serving board chairperson, last week issued an internal memo to ITB staff dismissing claims that he had been removed.
This came after ITB CEO Vela Mngwengwe, in an internal memo which has been circulating on social media and dated April 19, told staff that he had been informed by the chief of staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development that the king had replaced Ngwenya with Inkosi Mzimela.
“In view of there being a new chairperson, all officials can no longer take instructions from the previous chairperson,” read the memo signed by Mngwengwe.
Ngwenya in his memo maintained that he remained the chairperson.
In a statement issued yesterday Buthelezi said he would meet with the king this week to clarify ITB matters.
He cautioned against suggestions of tensions between himself and the king.
“In the meantime, it is opportunistic for anyone to portray the present situation as evidence of a rift between His Majesty and I as his Traditional Prime Minister. There is no rift whatsoever, which is clear from the fact that we continue to communicate on all matters relating to the kingdom,” Buthelezi said.
He pointed out that the meeting with the king was a long-standing practice which had begun with late king Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu.
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