Zulu King demands name change, full control of Ingonyama Trust

Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini on Thursday made bold moves in his quest to have the province of KwaZulu-Natal renamed KwaZulu, announcing the appointment of senior legal figures as his advisers. Speaking during the official opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature at Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg, the King — who appointed retired Judge Isaac Madondo and Advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi as his legal advisers — said the current name belonged to the colonial era. It was called KwaZulu.

He said he discovered this province and named it Natal. I am making a call in my capacity as King of the Zulu nation that this province be renamed KwaZulu. This move is long overdue as we seek to restore our history, identity and dignity.

During South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994, the two sections were merged and renamed KwaZulu-Natal. However, the King said there had been no need to merge the two, as the original name of the province was KwaZulu, which he said was founded by King Shaka in 1816. The name-change proposal has the support of the IFP and the MK Party.

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“We do not find anything sinister in the King’s proposal. History tells us — and it is well known — that in the past, during the reign of King Shaka, the boundaries of KwaZulu extended far beyond what is today KwaZulu-Natal. It is well documented that the IFP consistently and firmly advocated for the recognition of KwaZulu in acknowledgement of the Zulu Kingdom and its profound historical, cultural and political significance,” IFP national chairperson Blessed Gwala said.

Pietermaritzburg-based MK Party MPL Mervyn Dirks said the party did not associate itself with colonial names. “The King has raised pertinent issues. He said he wants the name of the province to be changed to KwaZulu.

The MK Party fully supports that. Even when we issue statements in the KZN Legislature, we do not use the name KwaZulu-Natal; we refer to the province as KwaZulu,” he said.

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