Three decades of GOODWILL

Thirty years after being crowned as the Zulu monarch, King Zwelithini  continues to scale the dizzy heights of success.  The king is, however, the first to admit that despite phenomenal achievements, his reign has also been tinged with shortcomings.

The single-minded purpose with which His Majesty has sought to alleviate the educational backlog in the remote, rural areas of his kingdom are particularly commendable.  “I have sought outside assistance to address some of our shortfalls from as early as 1977 when I visited America.  Schools such as the King Zwelithini High School in Eshowe were built with the funds that I had raked in through these visits,” His Majesty proudly proclaims.

On the flip side, though, the king is aggrieved that some of his subjects have not heeded his calls to tax themselves as a means of generating income to upgrade the educational facilities for their children.

“It is also tragic that some people have chosen to vandalise the institutions they had instead of building and developing themselves from what was already in existence,” His Majesty adds.

The king continues to place a high premium on education during his tenure.  “Without the necessary education and skills I do not think that we will attract the investment we require into our province and country.”

His Majesty is especially elated about the pivotal role he has played in reviving the culture and traditions that had served as the bedrock upon which the Zulu Empire was founded.  The Reed Dance, “First Fruits” festival and hunting ceremony have helped the present generation within the kingdom to merge modernism with tradition.

The Zulu monarch has also kept the cultural torch burning within his own family.  The recent Umemelo and lobola ceremonies for his daughters are testimony that, through the institution of his own family, the king has kept the cultural flag flying.

" As a parent I encourage them to follow their tradition and attire to show my nation that if my children can follow culture then others in the kingdom could also do so”.

The fragmentation of the once cohesively welded Zulu nation with each passing year has also saddened His Majesty.  “Unfortunately, politics has divided the kingdom,” bemoans the king.

Arguably the greatest drawback of the king’s 30-year tenure has been the runaway Aids pandemic that has been particularly severe in its decimation of His Majesty’s subjects.  The king has contributed to the titanic fight against the disease through cultural observances (Reed Dance), prolonged addresses to his subjects and his support for Aids awareness organisations (eg. Love Life).

The king is particularly pleased that parents continue to send the youth to the royal residence to listen to the messages of their leader.  “This is most encouraging as it may help save lives.  I refuse to accept that we won such a hard-fought freedom only for my people – particularly the youth – to die in droves”.

“In addition, there are no guarantees that anti-retrovirals will reach the rural areas or that they will be affordable to the destitute,” warns King Zwelithini.

Economically, the king believes that prolonged contact with the international community is beginning to pay dividends and is paving the way for his kingdom and the country to take its rightful place in the global village.  “I wouldn’t say that rural development has reached a point where I could say that I am satisfied.  But I am pleased that everybody concerned, namely my people and the government departments, are trying their best to bring development and progress to the rural areas”.  According to His Majesty, a great negative has been the intermittent outbreak of senseless violence that has mercilessly devastated communities within his kingdom for much of his reign.  “My people must always strive to resolve their problems humanely and by talking. Just because we may have differences doesn’t mean that people must behave like animals”.

A more positive trend over the past 30 years, though, has seen the rule of the monarch being admired and accepted by groupings outside of the Zulu nation.  “I welcome this and it is heartening to note that others are also paying their allegiance to me as their monarch being admired and accepted by groupings outside of the Zulu nation.  “I welcome this and it is heartening to note that others are also paying their allegiance to me as their monarch in this Kingdom of the Zulu,” enthused King Zwelithini.

His Majesty has also succeeded in forging partnerships with various communities within his kingdom to uplift the living standards of his people.  He particularly heaped praise on the SA Divine Life Society founded by Swami Sivananda, and currently headed by Swami Sahajananda, for its Herculean role in promoting education amongst black communities.

“What is needed is for more people of all races to follow the Swami’s example,” said the king.

The 30-year tenure of King Zwelithini has been a mixture of goodwill and misfortune.  But through inspired leadership over the three decades, His Majesty is helping his people conquer adversity and is gradually succeeding in leading his subjects out of the shadows and into the sunshine