Oct. 29 (UPI) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa formally recognized Misuzulu ka Zwelithini as the the country’s new Zulu king during a gala ceremony in Saturday in Durban.
Tens of thousands of people gathered at a football stadium in the city to celebrate the coronation of the 48-year-old new ruler of the country’s richest and most influential traditional monarchy.
“Here in KwaZulu-Natal, on the plains of Isandlwana 143 years ago, AmaZulu waged an epic battle in defense of their land and their freedom,” Ramaphosa said. “It is a history of which the people of this province and our entire continent can be proud.
“And today we are here to witness a new epoch in the history of AmaZulu. As president of the republic, I am here to hand over the certificate of recognition to His Majesty, King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini,” he declared, adding, “We pray that His Majesty’s reign will a long and glorious one.”
The crowning is the first that South Africa has witnessed in more than 50 years, and comes comes after a year of bitter feuding over the royal succession that has spilled into the courts.
In March 2021, Misuzulu’s father, Goodwill Zwelithini, died after a diabetes-related illness. He left behind six wives and at least 28 children.
According to The Guardian, while the king does not have any official executive power, the monarchs wield great moral influence over more than 11 million Zulus, who make up nearly a fifth of South Africa’s population.
The importance of Saturday’s ceremony is due to the size of the Zulu nation, cultural expert Sihawukele Ngubane told South Africa’s Independent Online.
“But what has attracted many people is the largeness of the Zulu nation. Even isiZulu is spoken by many as a first language. The Zulu nation dates back to the 15th century,” Ngubane said.
