By Dr Vusi Shongwe

Extraordinary things happen in extraordinary times. The occasion is, to quote Abraham Lincoln, "The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise—with the occasion… Think anew and act anew….” For the Zulu monarchy to be seen as fit for a 21st-century purpose, it will need to appear more accountable, relevant, and useful. There is a need to project an image of efficiency and leadership, driven by sheer ambition—a combination of determination and modernity.

King Misuzulu was appointed the successor to his father the late King Goodwill Zwelithini in August 2022. Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA)

The Zulu royalty, as seen from an intimate distance with eyes that reflect objectively the unembellished and undisguised truth, has swung from the former extreme admiration, hero worship, and idolatry to the new extreme of disenchantment, disillusionment, and even hostility.

The image of the monarchy has been consistently diminished since the demise of His Majesty King Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu and the Regent, Queen Mantfombi. The nation has been treated to glimpses of notoriety and scandals of the Zulu royal. How the royal family manages to stay popular through some of the most embarrassing episodes, exposed by the fiendishly intrusive media, is clearly a matter of how the problems are handled.

For example, despite the media’s discrete treatment, it is not always possible to stop certain events from transcending, and the media has had no choice but to report some of these events.

Until a few years ago or so, the immense popularity of the Zulu royalty was undeniable. Most disturbingly, however, there has been an indecisive analysis that tut-tutted over certain aspects of the Zulu royalty.

More disconcertingly, the monarchy seems to have lost that royal distance, which is being in proximity to the people yet maintaining the right and expected royal standard. While once upon a time the Zulu royal throne radiated warmth and respectability, nowadays the cold rift is felt in its shadow. Veritably, it is a season of aphelion. One prays the damage done to the image of the Zulu royal family is not irreparable.

The circumstances the Zulu kingdom is currently undergoing require us all to respond firmly and in unity in our support of His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

The monarchy is an idea in each of our own heads. If there is a time King Misuzulu urgently needs the Zulu nation to rally behind him, it is now. Casting aspersions and apportioning blame now will not help. It is no longer only the integrity of the king that is at stake but, most importantly, also that of the nation. The decline of deference when dealing with matters of Zulu royalty is disturbing.

When he became king, he was thrust into a position of unimaginable heavy responsibility. The reality, however, is that he cannot do it alone. He needs our support. This is not the time to leave our King in the lurch.

Yes, there has been some slackness. The truth, however, is that there is no house without a toilet. Every household has its problems and challenges.

Today, the Zulu royalty stands at a crossroads. Either it finds a way out of the crisis, or it takes a leap in the dark, but it must know where it is going. We all have to shoulder the responsibility to put it on a correct trajectory.

A dialogue must, therefore, be launched to brainstorm the way forward. Some of the challenges confronting our king cannot be resolved by him alone. Lest it be forgotten, though, not so long ago, King Misuzulu was enjoying a carefree life without being hounded by the fiendishly intrusive media.

True, like all human beings, there have been times when our king has stumbled and made mistakes. What he requires now is assistance rather than pillory. He needs counselling and guidance rather than chastisement.

One of the threats to the monarchy is the self-sacrifice involved on the part of the monarch. Being a monarch is a lifelong service with no prospect of retirement. Second is the loss of freedom. When he became king, he had to abandon freedoms that the rest of us take for granted: freedom of privacy and family life, freedom of expression, freedom to travel where he likes, and free choice of careers.

Wearing a cap or casual Gucci garb triggers a radio talk show. For the king, all these basic human rights are curtailed. King Misuzulu must now make the self-sacrifices required of living in a gilded cage. Without meaning to join the debate on how the king must dress, it would be unfair to expect the king to always dress in cow skin regalia irrespective of the nature of the function or event he attends.

The truth is that, like all monarchies, the Zulu monarchy adapts and changes and will change and modernise with each generation. Now one understands what King Misuzulu’s uncle, His Majesty King Mswati, meant when he said that ascending the throne is like being killed. The press is insatiable and fickle; if the popularity of the Zulu Monarchy comes to depend on the support of the press, that Faustian pact may prove, eventually, to be the greatest threat to the future of the Zulu Monarchy.

It is time we stop lamenting about this and that regarding our king, and give him the support he needs. The monarchy is a stabilising, unifying force and brings joy for the vast majority of the population.

We live in a constantly changing world in which His Majesty the King’s leadership must, while steeped in tradition, comfortably answer to the needs of modern democratic demands that are rooted in our constitution. In so doing, the province would have succeeded in establishing a vibrant, initiative-taking, responsive, and self-sustainable monarchy, where achievement and effort confer public legitimacy.

Regarding the media, it is urged to refrain from sensationalising royal matters and, instead, give a "realistic and clear" coverage of royal matters. It is disconcerting and jarring to read stuff about our king that is obviously inaccurate, fanciful, or sensationalised.

The king needs to surround himself with advisers who would, with great humility and respect, unashamedly and unapologetically will not mince words when giving advice to the king. People who will not salute 'Bayede!!!', on top of their voices when the king intends to do something that might compromise his integrity.

For example, if there were credible advisers, they would advise against the king immersing himself in the office’s operational matters like firing an employee, let alone appending his signature on a letter that fires or terminates the services of an employee. This compromises the dignity and respect of the king.

The signature of the king needs to be always protected and be treated with great reverence and respect. The king’s signature is for mega-economic projects with major global powers, certainly not for firing an employee. This applies to the manner the king’s name has been embroiled with the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB). If the king had good policy advisers, the ITB discussion could have been handled better and professionally without besmirching the king’s image as it appears to be the case. Indeed, people of good standing need to be identified to play the role of advisers to His Majesty.

The monarchy is going through a crisis. Unity is the need of the hour. It is time they join heads together and figure out ways to address important royal challenges.

(Dr Vusi Shongwe works for the KZN Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture. The contribution is written in his personal capacity. The views expressed here are his own. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media)