As the KwaZulu-Natal Heritage Resources Authority, the Amafa and Research Institute (Amafa) gears for the upgrade of the Emakhosini, plans are being made to ensure that these gravesites are conserved in a manner that is similar to how they looked in history.
This as the authority plans to have The Valley of the Kings upgraded into a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site by 2029.
Emakhosini, The Valley of the Kings - the burial site of King Misuzulu’s ancestors, situated in the Ophathe Game Reserve on the bank of the White Mfolozi River near Ulundi, north of KZN - is where seven Zulu kings and a queen lie buried.
They are King Zulu, King Phunga, King Mageba, King Nkosinkulu, King Ndaba, King Jama, King Senzangakhona and Queen Mthaniya. Queen Mthaniya, the wife of King Jama and mother to Senzangakhona.
Ophathe is home to leopards, impala, giraffes, nyalas, blue wildebeest, buffalo, waterbuck, zebras, hyenas, and black and white rhinos are among the many animals.
Amafa chief executive, Dr Mxolisi Dlamuka, said Emakhosini is a pristine heritage area that is highly sensitive
“It is not only the kings and the queen that lie buried in this valley, but it is the homestead (izigodlo), wars, unmarked burial sites of many people of royalty and those who died serving the royal family. Amafa Institute will develop an Integrated Conservation Management Plan which will provide guidelines with regards to access so that the valley does not suffer from over-tourism,” Dlamuka said.
He said the upgrades will commence in May 2025 and continue until March 31, 2027, and these will include planning conservation interventions, and consultation with various stakeholders, including researchers, conservation specialists, the Zulu Royal Family, traditional leaders, the business sector, and the tourism sector.
Dlamuka said the Amafa has been tasked by the 7th Administration, under the leadership of Mntomuhle Khawula, MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, to enlist Emakhosini, The Valley of the Kings, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“The Council of Amafa Institute has started with the first step to grant approval that provides for the chief executive to initiate the process within UNESCO. The Amafa Institute has assembled a high-level team, led by a Senior Specialist on World Heritage, Dr Mariagrazia Galimberti. While the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs has provided seed funding of R11 million over a three-year period to refurbish heritage sites in the Province, especially Emakhosini Valley,” Dlamuka said.
He added that the refurbishment of the gravesites will be done in a manner that preserves the ethos of the Zulu customs and culture. Extensive research will be conducted to ensure that these gravesites are conserved in a manner similar to how they looked in history.
“It is important to note that gravesites of kings are sacred and protected in a dignified manner. Through research and consultations with the Zulu Royal Family, we will ensure that we devise a heritage protection typology that resembles the sacredness of these graves,” he stated.
He said the Amafa has developed a list of all stakeholders who have interests at Emakhosini and consultations will commence in June 2025.
“World Heritage Sites are expected to contribute to improved tourism and economic development in areas where they are located. The Moses Kotane Research Institute is already in the process of conducting research on the economic impact of the proposal. However, it is expected that once fully developed, the entire Ulundi and Zululand will become the rendezvous of tourism and thus create economic opportunities, growth, and jobs,” Dlamuka said.
He pointed out that the Emakhosini burial site currently faces challenges, including undignified activities that people do closer to the gravesites. In some cases, there are some rituals conducted overnight that leave the site in a not-so-good condition.
“These will be addressed by having a secured access around the valley,” he said.
According to Dlamuka, the upgrading of Emakhosini is part of Amafa’s bigger plan to transform heritage sites in KwaZulu-Natal between 2024 and 2029 to generate revenue while promoting social cohesion and stimulating inclusive economic growth.
Emakhosini is currently a Provincial Heritage Site.
Professor Sihawu Ngubane, a cultural expert from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said the World Heritage Site status upgrade will enhance interest in Zulu culture and traditions and promote engagement with knowledgeable members of the local community.
“On the matter of cultural heritage, the UNESCO status will preserve and conserve the site’s cultural and historical significance. AmaZulu pride themselves on more than 200 years of history and people would like to witness it through visiting the graves from Nkosinkulu to the late king Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu,” Ngubane said.
He said World Heritage Site status for Emakhosini burial site will have a positive impact on tourism, cultural heritage, and community development for the Zulu Nation, while advocacy will bring about new programmes, workshops on the site’s importance, and Zulu rich heritage.
He added that it will restore pride and national cultural heritage, and will result in international collaboration and exchange of knowledge and best practices, and conservation management.
“The status will definitely impact tourism and increase visibility, although we are fully aware of the sacredness of the burial grounds for Amakhosi of the Zulu Nation.
"The place will be placed on the global map and attract more tourists and boost the local economy, and employment. There will be more opportunities in hospitality and conservation. The status may lead to enhanced infrastructure development, such as accommodation for visitors,” Ngubane said.
MEC Khawula said the inscription of the Emakhosini in the World Heritage List will be an international acknowledgment of the significance of the site and of what it represents for the Zulu nation, South Africa, Africa, and the world overall.
“When Emakhosini is declared a UNESCO World Heritage the benefits will include increased tourism, access to global conservation funding platforms, contribution to economic growth for the district and nearby communities, job creation especially for the local people, potential improvement of the landscape and infrastructure and increased global visibility of the Zulu history and the KwaZulu-Natal,” Khawula said.
King Misuzulu’s spokesperson, Prince Thulani Zulu, said the Zulu royal family welcomes the upgrade of the Emakhosini burial site, where late kings and the queen are buried.
“As Zulu royal family members, we appreciate what the Amafa and the government are doing to upgrade the Emakhosini burial site. Emakhosini, KwaNobamba, is where the Zulu king (King Shaka) first stayed before moving to Nongoma. It is the only burial site where seven kings and the queen are buried in the same site,” Zulu said.
The Drakensburg and Isimangaliso Wetland Park were declared World Heritage Sites, followed by the Sibhudu Cave in Inanda in 2024.