A man in a suit speaking on a microphone Thulasizwe Buthelezi has been removed as the Prime Minister of the Zulu nation. Picture: Supplied
Durban: King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has lost faith in his prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, due to allegations of wrongdoing and actions that threatened to undermine his kingship.
This claim comes from highly placed sources within the royal house, who argue that the removal of the prime minister has been building for some time.
Buthelezi was removed as the prime minister of the Zulu nation this weekend, almost a year into his tenure. He also serves as the MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs.
In a press briefing held on Saturday, Buthelezi said the news of his removal had not been communicated directly to him by the king. He mentioned seeing messages circulating on social media regarding his dismissal.
Buthelezi said that he would wait for the king to inform him officially about his release from duties.
The news also shocked traditional leaders, who believed Buthelezi was doing well in promoting and uplifting traditional leadership through various programmes, some of which were introduced under his department.
A highly placed source within the royal family indicated that there had been negative incidents leading up to his dismissal.
“The sexual impropriety allegations (made against Buthelezi) really damaged him in the eyes of the king. Opponents of the king, who are still challenging him for kingship, were almost offered positions of authority by him that would have put them in a position to judge amakhosi who supported the king,” the source said. “There have been decisions taken without consultation with the king. So there is quite a lot that he has been doing that made his position untenable.”
Traditional leaders expressed shock at Buthelezi’s sacking.
An induna from the Midlands, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The king announced publicly that he was choosing Buthelezi as his prime minister; we will again await his announcement that he is now removing him.
“From what we have seen, we believe that the outgoing prime minister was doing his job very well; he was restoring the dignity and respect of amakhosi. He was promoting that amakhosi must be respected, which meant that the entire institution of traditional leadership would be respected. He was working hard to improve the quality of traditional leaders by ensuring that they were educated.
“Look at the programme he recently launched, whereby amakhosi get a chance to study or be trained in institutions of higher learning, ensuring some receive training in law to govern their areas properly.”
The induna expressed bafflement over the reason for Buthelezi’s removal, adding, “There are traditional leaders who do not like him because they are affiliated with or have worked closely with the ANC. However, many izinduna chosen by their amakhosi had a lot of respect for Buthelezi and the work he was doing.”
In a statement, the ANC Youth League welcomed Buthelezi’s removal, stating, “This development represents a pivotal moment in the quest for accountability, dignity and unity, which are critical to preserving the integrity of traditional leadership in our province.”
It said Buthelezi “has repeatedly demonstrated conduct unbecoming of both political and traditional office”. Allegations of sexual harassment, “jobs-for-sex” scandals, and other serious misconduct have marred his tenure, raising significant questions about his suitability for any leadership position.
“His actions have eroded the dignity of the prime minister position and sowed division within the leadership of KwaZulu-Natal. This has been evident in the functioning of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), where infighting and political manoeuvring have taken precedence over collective progress,” said the statement.
The Mercury reached out to Buthelezi regarding the reasons behind his ouster, but he declined to comment saying he would not be adding to the statement released on Saturday.
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