By Celani Sikhakhane
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini had to cancel his King Shaka commemoration address in Ekurhuleni at the weekend because the Gauteng government refused to perform cleansing rituals at the venue where blood had been spilt decades ago.
Sources in the royal family told Scrolla.Africa that the King was looking forward to the ceremony, which started last year after being endorsed by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
However, on Saturday, the King’s traditional prime minister, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, instructed him not to go to the venue.
A royal family source said Buthelezi had asked the Gauteng government to perform the rituals to get rid of the bad spirits of the people who died in Thokoza in 1991 during clashes between IFP and ANC supporters.
“[Buthelezi] said the venue was not suitable for the King due to the blood spilt there,” the source said.
The King was advised not to go to the Sam Ntuli stadium and stayed at his hotel before returning to KwaZulu-Natal.
At least 18 people were killed in 1991 at the funeral of Sam Ntuli, whom the Thokoza stadium is named after.
Thousands of people attended the funeral. Six mourners were reported to have been attacked while making their way to the stadium, while a dozen or more were ambushed and killed at the Katlehong taxi rank.
Buthelezi could not respond to calls and questions about the matter by the time of publication.
Sizwe Pamla of the Gauteng premier’s office did not respond to written questions.
Pictured above: Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the Zulu King’s traditional prime minister, told King Misuzulu kaZwelithini not to address the uMkhosi weLembe ceremony in Ekurhuleni after the Gauteng government refused to perform cleansing rituals at the Sam Ntuli stadium.
Source: Supplied
