King Misuzulu's spokesperson reveals a plot to get him fired
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s official spokesperson, Prince Thulani Zulu has revealed that there is a smear campaign to get him out of his position.
Rumours about his future in the position came to light in the days leading to the king’s traditional wedding to the now queen Nomzamo Myeni-Zulu two weeks ago.
Although Zulu cited contracting pink eye as a reason for his absence at the wedding, on Saturday he came out to reveal that there is a campaign to get him fired from his position.
Addressing the Zulu nation in the royal family Facebook page, Zulu revealed that the plot against him has thickened. He informed the king’s subjects that if they do not see in other official king’s programmes it will be because he has not been informed about them by organisers. He stated that his detractors have now informed the king that he has switched sides and is now supporting Prince Simakade who is challenging the king’s ascension to the throne.
“King’s subjects; I wish to alert you of a smear campaign against me. There are people who are badmouthing me to the king so that His Majesty will lose trust in me. Of late, I am being labelled as Prince Simakade’s person and do not know where that is coming from since I last met him (Simakade) in 2021. It’s a plot to get rid of me as the spokesperson of the king,” said Zulu.
On Saturday, he confirmed that there are several king’s official engagements he had never been informed about including the king’s trip to Dubai, the king’s recent meeting with Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. Zulu also confirmed that he never attended an event of inkosi Ngcobo’s official installation by the king on Saturday. The event was in Umzinto on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
“I was not informed about that event, I only heard about it. On Thursday there were Legislature members at Mashobeni palace to talk about the preparations of the opening of the Legislature next year but I was not informed,” said Zulu.
The last event Zulu attended was the reconciliation imbizo that was called by the king on October 29 following his court victory in the Supreme Court of Appeal. The court overruled the Pretoria High Court order that had set aside his recognition as a legitimate amaZulu monarch in 2022 by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Zulu was appointed to the position in April.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za