The mortal remains of the late Zulu King, AmaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, were laid to rest on Wednesday night, March 17, 2021.
The burial service took place at a private ceremony reportedly attended by only men.
It remains unclear why women were not allowed to see the laying to rest of the mortal remains of the powerful king.
On Thursday morning, March 18, 2021, local South African media reports say a memorial service will be held in honor of the late King.
The service is to be held at the Khethomthandayo royal palace in Nongoma, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, is scheduled to deliver the eulogy at the service. The service is due to begin at 10:00am.
The Zulu King of South Africa who was accused of “hate speech” leading to xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreigners, died last week at a Durban Hospital.
Reports said King Zwelithini died Friday, March 12, 2021, after a long battle with diabetes.
King Zwelithini was in 2015, accused of sparking the xenophobic attacks in South Africa with comments in which he encouraged South Africans to “pop our head lice.”
“We must remove ticks and place them outside in the sun. We ask foreign nationals to pack their belongings and be sent back,” he reportedly told supporters at a stadium in Durban in 2015.
A group of Nigerians later called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe the Zulu King for crime against humanity.
King Zwelithini is the longest serving monarch of the Zulu Kingdom. He died aged 72.
He was admitted in hospital in February 2021 to be treated for diabetes.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and nation, announced the King’s demise in a statement. He noted that the king’s health had taken a turn for the worse.
“It is with utmost grief that I inform the nation of the passing of his Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini ka Bhekuzulu, King of the Zulu nation,” according to Buthelezi in the statement.
“Tragically, while still in hospital, his Majesty’s health took a turn for the worse and he subsequently passed away in the early hours of this morning,” the statement added.
King Zwelithini was the eighth monarch of the Zulu Kingdom.
It would be recalled that a statement issued by Buthelezi on February 7, this year, on the King’s health said he was hospitalized after “several unstable glucose readings”
The late King was born on July 14, 1948 at Nongoma in KwaZulu-Natal.
He was the eldest son of King Cyprian Bhekuzulu and his second wife, Queen Thomo and was educated at the Bhekuzulu College of Chiefs. He was later privately tutored.
His father, King Cyprian, passed away in 1968.
By Melvin Tarlue