Shakeup at the Royal House: Zulu King MisuZulu Dismisses Traditional Prime Minister and Suspends ITB Members

In a move that has sent ripples across the political landscape of KwaZulu-Natal, Zulu King MisuZulu ka Zwelithini has decisively ousted his traditional prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, and suspended key members of the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB). These bold actions, announced in late December, indicate emerging tensions and potential corruption within the spheres of traditional governance and financial management linked to the Zulu monarchy.

King MisuZulu, ascending to the throne amidst familial disputes over the rightful heir, appointed Thulasizwe Buthelezi as the Zulu prime minister early this year following the death of long-serving prime minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi in September 2023. The new prime minister's tenure, however, has been cut short abruptly, with the king citing undisclosed reasons that he plans to reveal after the Zulu kingdom’s uMkhosi festivities conclude in January 2025.

The discharged prime minister, a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, is alleged to have used his position to undermine the stability of the regional government and to escalate his personal political profile, which has not sat well with provincial leaders from both the IFP and the ANC. His actions reportedly contributed to the deterioration in the relationship between the king and the ITB—an entity managing almost three million hectares of land on behalf of the monarch.

In conjunction with the firing of Buthelezi, King MisuZulu took the dramatic step of suspending the ITB’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and several other board members pending an audit and investigation into potential breaches of the Public Finance Management Act. In an unexpected twist, the suspended members countered by asserting that King MisuZulu lacked the authority to suspend them, a claim made public through a statement issued following a controversial letter from the king to the trustees in early December.

King MisuZulu has taken personal charge of the board’s interim governance, reflecting his intention to closely supervise the ITB’s operations and the pending audit of its financial activities over the past five years, as conducted by an independent firm appointed by the monarch.

These unfolding events highlight the intricate and possibly strained relationships between traditional royal authority and the political structures within the province. As King MisuZulu asserts his authority over the royal affairs and the management of significant Zulu assets, the outcomes of these audits and investigations are keenly awaited. They are likely to shed light on the operational integrity of the ITB and the financial management practices under the stewardship of the now-suspended officials.

This case, revealing layers of governance, traditional leadership, and political interactions, is pivotal in not only shaping the future trajectory of the Zulu monarchy but also in influencing broader political alliances and governance practices within KwaZulu-Natal and beyond.