Durban - King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu was born July 27, 1948 and died March 12, 2021. He was the reigning King of the Zulu nation.
His Majesty took over the Reign on September 17, 1968 until his death on March 12, 2021. The King of the Zulus took over the throne after the death of his father and predecessor, Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon.
On the death of his father, Bhekuzulu kaSolomon, in 1968. Prince Israel Mcwayizeni kaSolomon acted as the regent from 1968 to 1971 while the King took refuge in St. Helena for three years to avoid assassination.
It was after his 21st birthday and his first marriage that King Zwelithini was officially installed as the eighth monarch of the Zulus at a traditional ceremony at Nongoma on 3 December 1971. The historical event was attended by at least 20,000 people.
As the constitutional monarch of the kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, he was head of the Ubukhosi, the state-recognized institution of Traditional Leadership that consists of local chiefs.
His leadership role also entailed chairmanship of the Usuthu Tribal Authority and Nongoma Regional Authority, both established under the provisions of the KwaZulu Amakhosi and Iziphakanyiswa Act.
Zwelithini was one of the most powerful and respected Kings in the continent. His glaring political influence is well recorded.
Inkatha Freedom Party, led by The Monarch's Traditional Prime Minister, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, campaigned aggressively for an autonomous and sovereign Zulu king, as constitutional head of state.
As a result, the IFP abstained from registering its party for the 1994 elections. However, once it became obvious that its efforts were not going to stop the elections, IFP was eventually registered and dominated the provincial ballot, placing it at the top in the province.
The King was chairman of the Ingonyama Trust, a corporate entity established to administer the land traditionally owned by the king for the benefit, material welfare and social well-being of the Zulu nation. This land consists of 32% of the area of KwaZulu/Natal.
As the custodian of Zulu traditions and customs, King Zwelithini revived cultural functions such as the Umhlanga, the colourful and symbolic reed dance ceremony which, amongst other things, promotes moral awareness and AIDS education among Zulu women, and the Ukweshwama, the first fruits ceremony, which is a traditional function involving certain traditional rituals including the killing of a bull.
At the time of his death, King Goodwill Zwelithini had six wives and 28 children.
Daily News