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The AmaZulu regiments have condemned the actions of KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development and Environmental Affairs MEC S’boniso Duma and demanded that he urgently apologises to the Zulu nation.
The regiments accuse Duma of disrespecting King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube when he interrupted the Monarch’s traditional prime minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi.
The incident occurred at the 110th commemoration of King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo at KwaCeza outside uLundi on Saturday. The incident has sparked a public row between the African National Congress (ANC), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the King’s regiments.
Amabutho commanders are up in arms over Sboniso Duma’s actions. They’ve cautioned that such incidents have the potential to lead to a resurgence of violence in the province especially in the build-up to the elections.
“Our presence here is to ensure we contribute to nation-building in KZN because there’s a feeling that violence may resurface especially now that we are facing the general elections. We have gone past that stage of infighting,” says Zulu regiment Muzi Nyandeni.
The commanders are demanding that Duma apologise to the Amazulu Monarch and be fined.
“We are expecting that those who disrespected our king must go and apologise to him. When you do that you don’t just go empty-handed but you must have cattle and be penalised accordingly. As far as we are concerned those must be fined 100 cows – What Duma did was widely felt by people on the ground. Let there be peace. His apology must not take long. It must be urgent,” explains Sipho Mhlongo – a Zulu regiment commander.
The regiments have accepted responsibility for the attack on the ANC supporters and have apologised to the victims.
“It’s true that there has been those amongst us as amabutho who took advantage of the situation and beat people. No leader wants that to happen. We apologize unconditionally to those who got injured and as amabutho we have cleansed ourselves by visiting them because we don’t support the actions of amabutho,” Mhlongo elaborates.
Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders are expected to meet to discuss the incident in uLundi on Wednesday.
Video: Amabutho brief media following ANC KZN chair Duma’s clash with AmaZulu PM Buthelezi: